What the floods left

MALDA, 25 AUG: A total of 1,237 families have been rendered homeless by floods in Debipur gram panchayat area in Ratua-I block since yesterday.

All families have fled to high lands and the top of embankments in different locations. Flood waters from the Fulohar river directly hit the villages under Debipur gram panchayat inundating vast areas since Saturday night when the flood protection work finally washed out at Bhaluka in Harishchandrapur-II block.

A total of 535 families located at Banikantatola took shelter atop the embankment on the bank of Fulohar. At Bajitpur at least 50 families have been shifted to safer places.

More than 550 families of different villages like Ghoshpara, Durgapur, Balarampur and others fled to different high lands. A section of people built barricades to block the waterways to save their villages. As a result other villages have been inundated. The people of Debipur gram panchayat in Ratua-I are facing the problem of stagnant waters due to resistance by another group of villagers who have blocked the water ways to save their homes. The irrigation officials suggested making a way to clear the flood waters to avoid a critical situation in Debipur gram panchayat areas but the local administration could not pacify the irate villagers.

“The flood situation could worsen if we do not clear the stagnant water now,” said Mr Salil Pal, an irrigation official.

Though the water level has been receded and flowing below the Extreme Danger Level (EDL) the river is still discharging waters through the its old course where the embankment breached at Bhaluka in Harishchandrapur-II.

Rehabilitation

MALDA, 25 AUG: Demanding rehabilitation, hundreds of homeless people residing on railway and vest lands in English Bazaar town, today submitted a representation to the additional district magistrate (land reforms), Mr KN Dew. The Udbastu Colony Committee in Ward no 24 of English Bazaar town demanded deed of right where they live and where the land is identified as vested. SNS

Recovery

MALDA, 25 AUG: Police recovered some important files of government offices from a house located at Krishnapally in English Bazaar town today. The police are investigating the matter but chose not to disclose any further. SNS