‘I raised the subject of erosion in Bengal multiple times…to no avail,’ says a TMC MP.

*Paromita Das

Mausam Noor, a TMC Rajya Sabha MP who raised difficulties in West Bengal related to river erosion during zero hour, spoke to Sourav Roy Barman.

This is a big problem in Malda, especially in the districts where the Ganga flows. For years, the people of the region have been suffering, and we have been pleading with the Union Ministry of Water Resources to take action. Thousands of people are relocated each year owing to floods in the region, which drown houses, farms, and orchards during the monsoon season.

Have you brought this up before?

I’ve brought it up before, both inside and outside of Parliament. Even as a Lok Sabha MP, I raised the issue. I visited with officials from the government and the Farakka Barrage, which oversees the impacted districts. But it was in vain.

How many people have been impacted by the erosion and flooding?

The figures are expressed in lakhs. People from poorer neighborhoods are disproportionately affected by the problem since the low-lying areas that are flooded and washed away are mostly populated by the poor. At least four to five blocks have been significantly impacted. A few years ago, the residence of a former BJP MLA in the area was also washed away.

What are the plans of the state government?

Because the impacted areas are under the direct jurisdiction of the Farakka Barrage, which is under the Ministry of Water Resources of the Government of India, the state government has limited rights in this matter. However, it does the best it can in terms of relief. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, has raised the issue, urging for a long-term solution.

An embankment, in my opinion, could be a long-term answer. Because in the case of the Mahananda, which also flows through the region, an embankment served to reduce floods to some extent.

‘I raised the subject of erosion in Bengal multiple times…to no avail,’ says a TMC MP.

Mausam Noor, a TMC Rajya Sabha MP who raised difficulties in West Bengal related to river erosion during zero hour, spoke to Sourav Roy Barman.

This is a big problem in Malda, especially in the districts where the Ganga flows. For years, the people of the region have been suffering, and we have been pleading with the Union Ministry of Water Resources to take action. Thousands of people are relocated each year owing to floods in the region, which drown houses, farms, and orchards during the monsoon season.

Have you brought this up before?

I’ve brought it up before, both inside and outside of Parliament. Even as a Lok Sabha MP, I raised the issue. I visited with officials from the government and the Farakka Barrage, which oversees the impacted districts. But it was in vain.

How many people have been impacted by the erosion and flooding?

The figures are expressed in lakhs. People from poorer neighborhoods are disproportionately affected by the problem since the low-lying areas that are flooded and washed away are mostly populated by the poor. At least four to five blocks have been significantly impacted. A few years ago, the residence of a former BJP MLA in the area was also washed away.

What are the plans of the state government?

Because the impacted areas are under the direct jurisdiction of the Farakka Barrage, which is under the Ministry of Water Resources of the Government of India, the state government has limited rights in this matter. However, it does the best it can in terms of relief. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, has raised the issue, urging for a long-term solution.

An embankment, in my opinion, could be a long-term answer. Because in the case of the Mahananda, which also flows through the region, an embankment served to reduce floods to some extent.