Kolkata, 10 September (H.S.) : Severe flooding and river erosion have left large parts of Bhutni in Malda district submerged, forcing thousands of residents to take shelter in relief camps. In view of the situation, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has sanctioned an additional Rs 5 crore for the relief fund.

On the Chief Minister's instructions, a team of senior state government officials conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Bhutni on Wednesday to assess the situation on the ground.

The Ganga has been steadily eroding parts of Bhutni every year, but officials have described the situation this year as particularly concerning. Four senior officials assigned to monitor the situation have already submitted a report to the Chief Minister.

Administrative officials expect the water level in Bhutni to start receding from Friday. The Chief Minister is monitoring the situation round the clock, while the state Irrigation Department and disaster management teams are keeping a close watch on the flood situation. Several rounds of meetings are also being held to bring the situation under control.

On Wednesday, Principal Secretary of the state Disaster Management Department Rajesh Sinha, Director General of Civil Defence Sanjay Singh and Inspector General of North Bengal Sukesh Jain reached Malda by helicopter. They first held a meeting with district administration officials to review the flood situation in Bhutni.

The officials subsequently conducted an aerial survey of several flood-affected areas along with district administration representatives. After the inspection, Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Rajesh Sinha said that Bhutni was completely inundated and that it could take considerable time for the floodwaters to recede.

He said all aspects of the flood situation had been reviewed, with particular attention being given to preventing the outbreak of diseases. Arrangements are also being made to shift affected residents to safer locations and distribute relief materials, he said.

According to the administration, the Ganga continued to flow above the danger mark on Wednesday. The Irrigation Department said the water level at Manikchak Ghat was 51 cm above the danger mark.

More than 100 villages in Bhutni have already been inundated, leaving around 2.5 lakh people marooned. Large areas of Hiranandapur, North Chandipur and South Chandipur gram panchayats have been cut off from the rest of the district.

In response to demands from local residents, the administration opened a section of the Fulhar river embankment in South Chandipur gram panchayat. This has allowed floodwaters from the Ganga to flow towards the Fulhar river through the breached section, providing some relief to residents of North Chandipur.

However, the Fulhar river is also rising. The Mahanandatola police outpost and a local post office in Ratua have been surrounded by floodwaters. Residents are also facing difficulties accessing healthcare services after a health centre was submerged.

Floodwaters have also entered border areas such as Vaishnavnagar and Kumbhira along the India-Bangladesh border. Flood-affected residents in these areas have been evacuated and shifted to safer locations.

Malda Superintendent of Police Anupam Singh said several areas near Vaishnavnagar and Paralalpur had been inundated, with water levels ranging from around two to four feet at different locations. The water level of the Ganga continues to rise, further aggravating concerns over the situation in the affected areas.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh