Flood situation grim in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept. 2: Flood situation continues to remain grim in the northern part of Malda district. State finance minister Mr Ashim Dasgupta today called up the Malda DM and took stock of the situation. The state government has already released Rs 1.5 crore to combat the immediate situation.According to the agriculture department, the flood has inflicted crop loss worth Rs 12 crore. According to the district administration, floodwater submerged about 100 villages and affected nearly 8,500 families in the district. The district administration has asked the BDOs of the flood-hit blocks to prepare a list of flood victims for distribution of relief materials particularly rice, where allotted grains have exhausted. The district magistrate Mr C R Das has decided to allot fresh food grains to the affected areas for distribution after 3 to 4 days’ interval. Deployment of medical teams in waterlogged areas to prevent water borne diseases is on the cards.Hundreds of people continue to remain confined to their homes. Some are living on temporary structures built on treetops to avoid the waters. The block officials said there is a shortage of boats because of which transportation of relief materials and medical assistance has been affected. According to the irrigation department in Malda, the water level of the Ganga and Fulohar has started receding from this morning. The Fulohar is flowing at 28.53 metres today, 18 cms above the ‘extreme danger level’ (EDL).“The water level will be rising in the next few days. If the weather forecasts are correct, there will be no respite from floods up to mid September,” said Mr Soumen Misra, executive engineer, irrigation department in Malda.