Army on alert to check river erosion

Statesman News Service

MALDA/BALURGHAT 18 AUG: The Malda district administration has put the Army on alert following the damage caused to embankment by the Fulohar River at Bhaluka Bazaar in Harishchandrapur. The district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh said they apprehended the rising water would breach the flood protection work and inundate vast areas of northern Malda.

“Work is on to save the damaged embankment on the Fulohar's bank. The situation is grave due to unabated erosion and continuous rise in the water level. I have informed my higher ups to keep the army on standby,” the DM said.

In South Dinajpur, the Tangan River has breached the embankment at Ganguria and Tepridaha in Banshihari block inundating about 300 acre land under crop and marooning about 100 people. The South Dinajpur district magistrtae Mr Asoke Banerjee, however, denied the breach in the embankment. According to him, a leakage in the embankment has caused water from the Tangan River to overflow.

“The irrigation department officials have started repair work at three points. The administration has evacuated some families from ward no. 14 of the Gangarampur Municipality and shifted them into a school building,” the DM said. All the major rivers flowing through South Dinajpur are in spate.

In Malda, locals have joined the irrigation department officials in the anti-erosion works. According to irrigation department officials, the Fulohar is flowing above the danger mark eroding the slope and the main structure of the embankment at Bhaluka Bazaar.

The South Dinajpur administration has opened a control room to monitor the flood situation and has started sending dry food and tarpaulin to the affected areas.