Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, 30 September 2024, Harishchandrapur:
As the Phulahar River continues to rise, flooding nearby villages and leaving thousands stranded, West Bengal Minister Tajmul Hossain delivered much-needed relief materials to the affected areas by boat. Accompanied by Harishchandrapur Block 2 BDO Tapas Kumar Pal, Panchayat Samiti President Representative Monirul Alam, Kumedpur Outpost OC Kajal Banerjee, and other local officials, the minister visited the inundated villages along the riverbank.The persistent rainfall in North Bengal has caused water levels to surge in various rivers, including the Phulahar. This has led to severe flooding in several villages within the Harishchandrapur 2nd Block of Malda district, particularly Daulatnagar, Rashidpur, North Bhakuria, South Bhakuria, Kawadol, and Tatipara. Minister Tajmul Hossain and BDO Tapas Kumar Pal surveyed the flood-hit areas and distributed relief supplies, including polythene sheets, rice, gur, clothing, and other essentials to 250 affected families.
One local resident, Gauri Mandal from North Bhakuria, expressed her fear: “The water is still rising, and we are very scared. The administration has arranged temporary accommodation for us, but many of us are reluctant to leave our homes.”
During his visit, Minister Hossain took the opportunity to criticize the Central Government, accusing it of causing the floods by releasing water into seven districts of South Bengal without informing the West Bengal government. He stated, “We have come to several villages today, including North and South Bhakuria, Kawadol, and Rashidpur, following the Chief Minister’s directives. Relief materials were distributed to about 250 people. While the state government is actively working to support flood victims, the Central Government has once again deprived West Bengal. They released water into South Bengal without consulting our Chief Minister, leading to flooding in multiple districts. Despite this, our Irrigation Department is doing its best to mitigate the impact.”
The situation remains critical as the floodwaters continue to rise, but the state government has assured that relief efforts will continue for those affected.