Erosion at Gadai-char makes people flee home

MALDA, Sept. 11: Erosion has been eating away Gadai-Char. The right side of the island has been eroding, with large chucks getting washed away by the ganga in the last three days owing to fluctuation of water level.The pensive block officials have informed of the matter to the district headquarters. They also talked about the plight of hundreds of local people seeking palliative measures to save the island. Though the district administration had approached the irrigation officials and sought suggestions, the irrigation department expressed their helplessness and said they cannot take up any work there.Gadai-Char is a small island very close to Jharkhand. It has been prone to erosion and the people living on the island have started fleeing to safer areas.“We have not taken any anti-erosion work at Gadai-Char in recent past. We can not take up any anti erosion work on ‘shoal’ without permission from higher authorities including central wing,” said Mr Soumen Misra, the executive engineer, irrigation and waterways department in Malda.The administration has planned to issue a shifting notice to the people if severe erosion of the island continues. It may be recalled that irrigation department had taken up anti erosion work at Kasharpur and Bagdogra in Bhutni Diara a few weeks ago.The Bhutni Diara has been narrowed down from 100 square km to 60 square km due to erosion in last few years. n SNS