Ganga fury in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug 17: The Ganga gobbled up 15 huts at Domhat village in Manikchak block today. The fuming river has also eroded about a kilometre length of cropland on the left bank. Irrigation department officials said that the Ganga has experienced an abrupt rise in the water level since yesterday, which has washed away large tracts of land. Following the erosion, villagers living close to the bank line have started to move off to safer places. Receiving information about fresh erosion, Farakka Barrage Project officials visited the area to inspect the extent of the damage and had to face public wrath. Earlier, villagers of Jotpatta near Domhat had prevented the FBP from taking up palliative measure to stem erosion in that area demanding permanent anti- erosion work instead. There is a possibility that the flood situation could worsen.The irrigation and waterways department has hoisted the yellow signal in the protected area of the Ganga and red signal in the unprotected areas of the Fulohar river following the rise in the water level of the two rivers.The two rivers are in spate and floodwater from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh is gushing in continuously. The flood control cell today recorded 24.78 metres water level in the Ganga at Manikchak Ghaat at 12 noon.It was 24.64 metres yesterday suggesting that the water level is rising steadily. Similarly, the water level of the Fulohar was recorded 28.01 metres at Teljana point in the northern part of the district. The executive engineer of the Malda irrigation division, Mr S Misra, said that the water level would continue to rise in the next 24 hours. Officials said precautionary measures have been taken to avoid human casualty.“Villagers have been asked not to go for fishing,” they added.