Due to the extreme erosion of a left bank in Baishnabnagar in Malda district, the Ganga had gobbled up almost 50 homes in a 12-hour period since Saturday night.
Since Sunday morning, hundreds of villagers have begun to move to safer areas as the river continues to swallow large sections of land every hour. The Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) Authority has begun anti-erosion work in Baishnabnagar, which is part of the Kaliachak 3 block, following multiple warnings from the state irrigation department.
On Saturday night, the Ganga began eroding land in the Bhimagram-Hatkhola area of Baishnabnagar, according to sources.
“When we heard the sound of chunks of ground falling into the river, most of us were asleep or preparing to go to bed. The flood was steadily creeping into our settlement as we fled out. We began to relocate our stuff to safer locations, and the erosion began to worsen.
As many while 50 houses had already been washed away by the river by this morning as we stood helpless,” said Rajib Sheikh, a local Trinamul leader.
As many while 50 houses had already been washed away by the river by this morning as we stood helpless,” said Rajib Sheikh, a local Trinamul leader.
“However, the degradation that we’ve been seeing since late Saturday evening is horrific. Houses were tumbling into the river one after the other. This year alone, the Ganga swallowed about 100 houses,” claimed Ziaul Haque, a school teacher.
Families who have become homeless over night are being housed in the local primary school. According to the sources, the block administration has offered them with assistance.
The FBP Authority, a central government agency, is in charge of carrying out anti-erosion operations along a significant stretch of the Ganga’s left bank, including at Baishnabnagar.
“We’re battling erosion,” says the presenter. The victims have been relocated to safer locations and are receiving assistance. According to Mamun Akhtar, the Kaliachak 3 block development officer, the FBP authorities have concluded the procurement procedure for anti-erosion work, and the project is likely to begin soon.