Malda, Aug. 12: State irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee has said repair of the embankments damaged by the Ganga and Fulahar will be taken up soon after water in the two rivers that are flowing above the extreme danger level recedes.

Today, the Trinamul minister visited some flooded areas of Harishchandrapur II block where an embankment was breached by the Fulahar on July 11. “Work on repairing the embankments will be taken up as soon as the water recedes. Both the Ganga and the Fulahar are flowing above the extreme danger level. The Ganga is flowing 10cm above the extreme danger level of 23.3m and the Fulahar is 5cm above the 27.75m mark. We have cautioned villagers living along the banks,” Banerjee said.

Several areas of Harishchandrapur II, Ratua I and Manikchak blocks are under water.

“The Fulahar breached an embankment at Daulatpur in Harishchandrapur II on July 11 and flooded 25 villages. Although the river receded after that. Water has been rising again since Saturday. Vast areas of Bhutni island have been flooded by the Ganga,” he added.

Banerjee criticised the Centre for not taking up anti-erosion work. “Erosion by the Ganga in Malda and Murshidabad is a problem of national proportion. Farakka Barrage authorities took up (anti-erosion) work but they have not done anything this year and the embankments in Bhutni have weakened,” he said.

Malda district magistrate G. Kiran Kumar said around 50,000 people had been affected by the floods. “We have been sending tarpaulin sheets, food and water to the affected areas,” he said.