Malda rivers in spate

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug 19: Erosion continues unabated in Malda district with almost all rivers eating into their banks. At a time when the border security forces are worried about loss of Indian land owing to erosion of the Mahananda and the Punarbhaba rivers, hundreds of villagers are shifting to safer places from the banks of the Ganges and the Kosi on the western and northern sides of the district. In northern part of Malda, hundreds of people were affected yesterday after more than 30 acres of cropland were eroded away at Ratanpur, Maharajpur and Janjalitola in Ratua block. The Ganges has gobbled up at least 30 houses at Bechutola near Domhat in Manikchak block since Friday afternoon. According to villagers, a large number of cattle have died owing to the fury of the Ganges.Panic has gripped the residents of the area following a rise in the water level of the Ganges.Some cattle and goats were swept away when the Ganges gobbled up a few houses at Bechutola, Manikchak MLA Ms Asima Chowdhuri, said. She added that the authorities concerned have been briefed about the deteriorating erosion situation in the district.“The villagers did not get sufficient time to release cattle from cowshed when erosion started,” she said. Villagers from six vulnerable spots, including Jotpatta, Bechutola and Domhat are looking for safer areas for makeshift arrangement. A total of 30 families, who have been rendered homeless by erosion, have already shifted to the nearby areas temporarily. They are waiting for government relief. The state government has sanctioned Rs 5,000 for each erosion-hit family in Malda. Meanwhile, apart from erosion, the district authorities fear floods here if the Ganges breaks its banks. The flood threat looms here following heavy rainfall in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh over the past few days, officials said. The Malda irrigation division recorded water level in the Ganges at 24.94 metres this after noon, just 35 cm below the extreme danger level.The authorities concerned have already flashed yellow signal on the protected areas. The district flood control cell has predicted that water level in the Ganges would continue to rise in the next two days following floods in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Though water level in the Fulohar is receding, the Mahananda is still flowing close to the danger level.#