Flood-like situation in S Bengal districts

Statesman News Service
BURDWAN/krishnagar, Sept. 26: Burdwan Sabhadhipati today alleged the apathy shown by concerned authorities in Jharkhand has resulted in a flood-like situation in the three districts of Burdwan, Bankura and Hooghly. “I shall seek state government’s stern intervention to put an end to this recurring problem,” Mr Uday Sarkar, the Sabhadhipati said.
Mr Sarkar, along with the district magistrate of Burdwan, Mr Manish Jain and top irrigation officials had to rush to the Maithon dam yesterday evening after they received information that 3.20 lakh cusecs of water would be discharged by the Maithon and Panchet reservoirs in Bengal-Jharkhand border. The combined discharge would have marooned the villages across the Damodar shoreline in the South Bengal districts if, as Mr Sarkar said, they hadn't rushed to Maithon in time. Though the torrential rain has controlled its pace in Bengal stretches, it maintained an increased intensity in Damodar catchments falling under Jharkhand. Despite of a convincing discharge by the Maithon and Panchet reservoirs, the Damodar riverbank in two locations ~ Natu near Burdwan and at Jalanpur-Banjora in Bankura were washed away rendering hundreds of villagers homeless last night.
“The situation of the dams were not that critical that it needed a discharge of such a high magnitude. Authorities in Jharkhand compelled the DVC to declare an increase in discharge rate,” Mr Sarkar alleged. On Wednesday, according to Mr Abani Roy, executive engineer, Damodar Headworks: "The discharge at Durgapur barrage maintained 2.49 lakh cusecs throughout the day. If the rainfall in the catchment areas doesn’t increase further, there is no question to intensify the rate.” A flood-like situation looms large in six blocks in Nadia district as water level of river Bhagirathi in Swarupganj is likely to cross the 9.5 meter mark by Thursday morning. The blocks, which are in danger of being flooded include, Nabadwip, Santipur, Ranaghat-I, Krishnagar-I, Nakashipara and Kaliganj. According to senior district officials, the water level of Bhagirathi had already crossed the extreme danger level (EDL) mark (9.05 meter) at Swarupganj at approximately 3 a.m. today and it was flowing at the level of 9.33 meter mark this afternoon. As Bhagirathi is flowing above EDL mark at several places along its course in the district, low-lying areas of six gram panchayats: Mahisura, Fakirdanga-Golapara, Char Majdiya, Char Brahmhanagar, Bablari and Swarupganj in Nabadwip block have already been partially flooded.