Malda, Aug. 30: The rising level of the Ganga and fresh erosion along its banks are worrying the district administration which is busy preparing for the by-elections to the Malda Lok Sabha seat on September 16.
The district irrigation department today put up a yellow flag to caution people living along the banks. Twenty-five families living in Domhat in the Manikchak police station area, 30 km from here, have been evacuated. Sources in the block administration said a stretch of 900 m was affected. “We are keeping a watch on Domhat,” said Manikchak block development officer Sandip Nag.
District irrigation sources said the swelling river was also threatening to inundate the Bhutni island.
According to the executive engineer of the district irrigation department, Somen Mishra, the Ganga was flowing at 24.26 m and chances of the level coming down in the next 48 hours were slim.
“We will fly the red flag if the level reaches 25 m. I have a feeling we will have to do it in the next 24 hours,” Mishra said.
According to him, water could enter the Panchanandapur area, 20 km from here, through three spots in the embankment. “The level of the river has almost reached that of the banks at these places. We are constructing an 800-m long embankment to prevent the water from entering the village,” the irrigation engineer said. Work will start from tomorrow.
The official also said with heavy rainfall taking place in the upper catchment area of the Ganga, water levels in the Phulhar and the Mahananda were also on the rise.
District magistrate Chittaranjan Das said he had sent flood-warning notices to five blocks adjacent to the river. He has also instructed the irrigation department to take the measures necessary to prevent floods.
Das said though the election process has begun in the district, there would be no difficulty in distributing relief material to affected people. “The model code of conduct has no provision which states that relief cannot be distributed during floods if an election process is on,” the district magistrate said.
