Panel to regulate relief distribution

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept. 3: In order to avoid controversy over the distribution of relief materials among the flood victims, the district magistrate Mr CR Das has instructed the block and sub-divisional officials to form a committee comprising all political party leaders.The Malda DM also instructed them to continue distribution of rice and dry foods to flood victims based on the beneficiary lists prepared in consultation with the local political leaders till flood waters recede. Following media reports regarding scarcity of government relief and plight of flood victims, the district magistrate took such a decision at a meeting held last evening with the officials and political leaders. The chief medical officer of health and officials of the public health engineering have been asked to keep an eye on the situation and provide assistance to the flood victims to prevent water borne diseases in the flood hit areas.Though a special boat has been allotted to visit the flood hit areas at Bilaimari and Mahanandatola gram panchayats in Ratua I block but medical team could not reach the remote villages in Harishchandrapur-II, as more than 18 villages are submerged under flood water. Many people are suffering from water borne diseases in Harishchandrapur II block due to stagnant water over a month since the river Fulohar broke its banks the first time.After that the area has been inundated twice. Still those villages are under water because the river is flowing 12 cms above the ‘extreme danger level’ (EDL- 28.35 metres).According to the irrigation officials, floodwaters from Bihar are still gushing into river Ganga, Fulohar and Mahananda in this district. Though Ganga and Fulohar will start receding from tomorrow but the Mahananda is still rising and flowing at 20.68 metres, below the danger mark. Irrigation officials fear that further rainfalls in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh flood situation may turn critical if the water levels do not recede at least one metre at present.“Heavy rainfalls have been forecast in upper catchments shortly,” irrigation official said.“In Bihar, short fall of rain is 335 mm till yesterday from on an average annual rainfalls and it would make this monsoon shortly,” said Mr S Misra, the executive engineer, irrigation department in Malda. Yesterday, the officials also calculate at least 200 mm shortfall of rain in Malda, which will be coming within September to maintain average annual rainfalls 1450 mm in this district. At least 15 people have died in floods since 17 August in Malda district, an administrative report sent to the Writers’ Buildings today states so. Of the 15, seven persons drowned in floodwaters, the report states. According to the report, 8,413 families were marooned and 1,937 partly affected by floodwaters. Forty-one cows died in the floods. The report further states that at least 1,100 people were evacuated to safer areas where villages are completely submerged. Cropland covering 2,937 hectares was inundated in the district damaging the standing crops. A total of 26 boats have been engaged for flood relief and other purposes of flood victims.