West Bengal: Ganga gobbles up Malda villages, many left homeless

ENGLISH BAZAR (WB): River Ganga went in around 300 metres, eroding the bank in West Bengal's Malda district, gobbling up houses, fields and mango orchards, officials said on Sunday. Balutola in Manikchak block is the most affected area by the erosion, which is happening over a stretch of 1 kilometre, they said.
More than 400 families have been displaced so far this year as the river devoured more than half of Balutola and Elahitola villages, locals claimed.
Scores of villagers are fleeing these areas every day, they said.
Block development officer Joy Ahmed said that he has visited the affected areas.
"The gram panchayat has been allotted tarpaulin. The whole situation is being monitored," he said.
State irrigation minister Sabina Yasmin also visited the area recently.
A delegation of the Left Front also went to the area and spoke to the villagers.