Ganga Erosion in Malda Forces 70 People to Flee Homes

In the last 24 hours, the Ganga's erosion issue in Malda reached catastrophic proportions, forcing 70 people out of their homes in the district's Ratua-I block.

The Ganga erosion problem, which has become a serious issue in Malda and Murshidabad, the districts on the left and right banks of the powerful river, was questioned by ruling Trinamul leaders as the river ate up the homes and surrounding land of these families.

Ananda Mandal, Manindranath Mandal, Pabitra Mandal, Archana Mandal, and other locals of Kantotola, Mahanandatola, and the surrounding villages claim that erosion in their areas has become serious as of Tuesday afternoon.

"52 homes were lost yesterday (Tuesday), and the flood ate up another 20 or so homes on Wednesday. We are now living beneath the open sky, according to septuagenarian Mahanandatola resident Pabitra Mandal.

She was shocked to see the Ganga at her door on Tuesday when both of her boys were gone at work.

"I contacted them, and they quickly made it home. Only a few household things could we move. The remainder, along with our home, were dragged away by the Ganga, the elderly lady cried hysterically.

Another erosion victim, Archana Mandal, said that while they had a home on Tuesday, by Wednesday they were without one.

"My five-year-old grandson was inquiring about the location of our home. The catastrophe that has befallen us was something I was unable to communicate to him, she added.

Manindranath Mandal was furious because he had also lost his house.

"Whenever such a catastrophe occurs, Trinamul leaders point the finger at the Center while BJP leaders keep silent. We want a long-term answer since we have no idea what our future holds, he continued.

Locals claim that several persons whose homes were carried away twice in the last 24 hours are among those who have lost their homes.

"Previously, some erosion victims had constructed new homes on adjoining plots. But as the Ganga continues to erode the land, some individuals have lost their homes twice, a local said.

District Trinamul leaders had to deal with the wrath of the erosion victims when they visited the afflicted districts today, despite the fact that the state irrigation department had hired personnel to do temporary anti-erosion work as a matter of urgency.

The politicians emphasized that the federal government has not acted despite chief minister Mamata Banerjee's repeated warnings that the problem should be treated as a national calamity and that money should be supplied to combat erosion.

She has sent the prime minister many letters outlining how serious the issue is. She has said that in order to minimize erosion and prevent people from losing their property and houses, a collaborative research should be carried out and suitable measures should be created. But the Centre is indifferent," said Abdur Rahim Boxi, the Trinamul MLA for the Malda area.

While touring Malda and Murshidabad in May of this year, Mamata announced an allocation of Rs 100 crore for anti-erosion projects.

"Land on both of the river's sides has been eroding for decades... A nationwide problem exists. However, despite being required to provide our state (for this reason) Rs 700 crores, the Centre has made no payments. According to Mamata, the Farakka Barrage Project Authority does little to stop erosion.

She said that in the previous 15 years, the river had absorbed almost 2,800 hectares of productive land in one of her letters to Modi in 2022. Additionally, during this time, there had been property damage of Rs 1,000 crore to both public and private properties.

Four blocks in Malda, where most of the population is from a minority group, are particularly affected by erosion. The scenario in Murshidabad's 10 blocks is similar.

Trinamul won 28 of the 34 Assembly seats in Malda and Murshidabad in the 2021 elections.

Trinamul previously won two of the five Lok Sabha seats in these areas in 2019. Two went to the Congress, one to the BJP.

The Ratua Trinamul MLA Samar Mukherjee, who on Wednesday had to face the anger of the public, accused the BJP of "playing politics" and said that they were to blame.

"The BJP party is aware of its limited influence in these two areas' Lok Sabha and Assembly seats. That is why the BJP is using these helpless folks in political games. We will be obliged to start a large-scale agitation if the Centre doesn't act right now," added Mukherjee.

He said that the Ganga flows within 200 meters from his home.

"People are also experiencing erosion in various parts of Bihar and Jharkhand. The Center is not providing cash for a long-term fix since the governments in these states too are not BJP-led, he said.

A tangible plan to stop erosion, according to BJP leaders, never made it from the Bengal administration to the Centre. "I want to know whether the state has submitted any concrete anti-erosion work plans to the Center, Trinamul leaders. The state must take the lead, but the center is prepared to act, according to Malda North BJP MP Khagen Murmu.