Ganga Rises, Bhutni Sinks! CM Orders Urgent Flood Assessment

The flood situation in Malda’s Bhutni has taken a serious turn, with large parts of the area remaining submerged as the Ganga continues to swell. Following directions from West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, senior state government officials travelled to Malda on Wednesday to assess the situation on the ground and review the ongoing rescue and relief operations.

The state’s Disaster Management Principal Secretary Rajesh Sinha, Director General of Civil Defence Sanjay Singh and Inspector General of Police, North Bengal, Sukesh Jain reached Malda by helicopter and first held a meeting with district administration officials. They subsequently conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Bhutni to assess the extent of inundation and the condition of affected communities.

The use of a helicopter was necessitated by the disruption of road connectivity in several parts of Bhutni. Areas including Hiranandapur and the North and South Chandipur gram panchayats have been severely affected, with floodwaters disrupting normal communication and making it difficult for officials to reach several locations by road. The aerial assessment allowed the senior officials to inspect areas that have effectively become cut off from the rest of the region.

The scale of the flooding has been substantial. Reports from September 8 said that nearly 2.5 lakh people had been left marooned in Malda, with the Ganga flowing significantly above the danger level. At Manikchak Ghat, the river was recorded at 25.81 metres, around 51 centimetres above the extreme danger level on Tuesday morning. Officials warned that water levels could rise further over the following 24 hours.

Bhutni has been particularly vulnerable because of breaches and damage to its embankment system. A section of the North Chandipur embankment was washed away by river erosion, allowing floodwater to spread into homes, roads and government buildings across three gram panchayats. Floodwater also entered the Bhutni police station, forcing personnel to shift to a temporary camp.

The administration has taken measures to drain some of the water trapped inside the affected areas. On Tuesday, officials breached a section of the ring embankment at South Chandipur using an excavator to facilitate the release of floodwater. The move followed appeals from residents and political representatives who had been seeking immediate measures to reduce the waterlogging inside Bhutni.

The flooding has also disrupted essential services. In neighbouring Ratua, the Mahanandatola Health Centre was inundated, affecting healthcare services for residents across several gram panchayats. Patients were moved to safer locations while medical personnel continued providing treatment despite difficult conditions.

During Wednesday’s inspection, Rajesh Sinha said that most of Bhutni remained flooded and that the water would take considerable time to recede. He said the administration was monitoring the situation closely, including the possibility of disease outbreaks, while ensuring that displaced residents were moved to safer locations and that relief materials reached them.

The crisis has been building since the beginning of September. Earlier, rising Ganga levels and damage to the Kesharpur ring embankment had triggered fears of widespread flooding in Bhutni. The district administration had already placed departments on alert and undertaken protective measures as the river continued to rise.

The embankment issue has also become a political flashpoint. Earlier this month, reports highlighted the failure of two ring embankments constructed over an approximately 1,800-metre stretch, with questions being raised over the effectiveness and durability of flood-protection infrastructure in the region. Political parties have traded accusations over the recurring floods and erosion, with opposition leaders questioning previous embankment work and the ruling side pointing to the need for central assistance and long-term intervention.

The government has also spoken about looking beyond temporary relief towards a permanent solution to the recurring erosion problem in Malda. Earlier in the week, Adhikari said the state was coordinating with Bihar and Jharkhand and involving experts from IIT Kanpur to work on a long-term plan for riverbank erosion in areas including Manikchak and Ratua.

The situation has already resulted in loss of life. On September 9, a 32-year-old man, Dwijen Mondal, reportedly drowned while going to a flooded field in South Chandipur to soak jute. His death has added to concerns over the risks faced by residents who continue to navigate submerged areas for work and essential activities.

For thousands of families in Bhutni, however, the immediate concern remains survival and access to basic necessities. With homes, roads and public facilities under water, rescue teams and local administration are focusing on evacuation, shelter and the distribution of food and other relief materials.

The latest aerial inspection by senior state officials is therefore more than a routine assessment. It comes as the Ganga remains dangerously high, communication links have been disrupted and large populations remain stranded. While authorities have begun emergency measures, the scale of the flooding has once again brought the long-running problem of river erosion and embankment protection in Malda into sharp focus.

For Bhutni, the immediate priority is for the water to recede safely and for stranded residents to receive uninterrupted relief. But once the floodwaters finally withdraw, the bigger question will remain: how long can the region continue to rely on emergency measures every monsoon instead of a permanent solution to its recurring flood and erosion crisis?