উত্তরবঙ্গের পরিস্থিতিঃ অবহেলা ও প্রকৃতির দ্বন্দ্ব (পর্ব ১)

A photo of two dead bodies entangled with branches and twigs of trees floating on the Jaldhaka River in North Bengal juxtaposed with the image of the Chief Minister of West Bengal clapping with the tunes of music and making a slapdash attempt at dancing with the glittering glitterati of the Kolkata television and film industry is the harsh reality of our state and has been so for the last 14 plus years. We are beached with a state government that is impervious to the issues of the common people and their sentiments and emotions. Time and again we have seen Mamata Banerjee giving more importance to festivities and revelries than to far more pressing issues like rape, murder, harassment of women etc.

According to the villagers living along the Jaldhaka River in Dhupguri Block in Jalpaiguri district, during the flash flood they saw many people in mid-river trying desperately to draw the attention of the villagers so as to be saved. But the former themselves were in such dire straits that they could not reach out to those drowning people. So the probability of finding more such dead bodies cannot be ruled out now. This means that the likelihood of the number of dead going up exists.

The flood-ravaged, poverty-stricken people are impatiently awaiting relief, some have not eaten after the catastrophe struck. But the administration is stony-hearted enough not to bother about the distribution of the much needed relief. In fact the people have made it amply clear that they do not want to see the faces of leaders of political parties or ministers, all that they want is relief. The people are dissatisfied with the way administration is distributing relief and this has led to smoldering anger amongst the sufferers.

According to the villagers the main reason why their villages have been inundated with flood water is that the state government did not repair and strengthen the embankments along the river banks. As a result the embankments gave away due to the deluge and water from the rivers came gushing in wrecking their homes and washing away huts and shanties, livestock and flooding agricultural fields, leaving behind a thick layer of silt. Even houses built of brick and mortar have not been spared, such was the force of the water. Some homesteads have been covered in sand. Some families in Magurmara have constructed temporary shanties on the broken embankments. The villagers complained that the administration is not distributing relief impartially. The really needy whose houses are submerged in water are not getting relief material while influential people are.

The villagers vented their anger to the local TMC Panchayat Member, Bablu Rahman, when he visited the area. They have claimed that relief is being distributed to those who are politically inclined towards the ruling party. They have also claimed 2 kilo rice, one plastic sheet and some bleaching powder is all that each family has received so far. On the other hand in Altagram village, though the flood water has receded the area is covered with silt, sludge and sand, causing immense problems for the people.

The administration’s nonchalance towards the suffering of the flood-ravaged people has been gargantuan. Even and equal distribution of relief is not happening. This is aggravating the miseries of the villagers who have lost everything.

Heavy-weight political leaders of both TMC and BJP are undertaking ‘disaster tourism’ to these areas with a large entourage. But these visits are in no way cutting down the agonies of the people. On the other hand these inefficacious visits are provoking and antagonizing the villagers. The latter have now made it very clear that they do not want to see the faces of political leaders but in its stead they want the administration to make arrangements so that they can return to their normal life at the earliest. They want the government to work.

Photo: CPI(M) West Bengal Facebook Page

প্রকাশ: ১০-অক্টোবর-২০২৫

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শেষ এডিট:: 13-Oct-25 09:11 | by 2
Permalink: https://cpimwestbengal.org/neglect-and-nature-collide-the-flood-catastrophe-in-north-bengal-part-i
Categories: Current Affairs
Tags: devastating flood, northbengal, redvolunteer, relief