A fresh round of erosion along the banks of the Ganga on Friday morning swallowed six more concrete houses within an hour at Sikdarpara village in Murshidabad’s Samserganj.

This marks the second disaster within a week, following the river’s engulfment of six houses on September 27.

The erosion spread panic throughout the area, prompting about 50 families to abandon their homes and seek refuge with relatives for safety.

According to villagers, around 800 of the 3,000 residents of Sikdarpara have become homeless this year, either because the Ganga swallowed their homes or they evacuated in fear of being submerged.

Badal Sheikh, 60, a marginal farmer whose two-storey house was submerged by the Ganga, told The Telegraph that the erosion was so swift that they could not retrieve their belongings.

Badal, who lived in the two-storey house with four sons of whom two work outside Bengal as migrant workers, said: “My two sons who live with me had left for work as there was no sign of erosion in our area. Suddenly, I learned that a 300-metre stretch of vacant land adjacent to our house had been swallowed by the Ganga and the river was advancing towards the locality.

“I built the two-storey house 10 years ago after relocating from our previous home, which was also swallowed by the Ganga,” added Badal, who has since taken shelter under a tarpaulin near a local primary school from Friday. Badal has no idea where to seek refuge next.

The local Uttar Chachanda Primary School, the only government building in the village, is occupied by families who lost their homes to the river last week.

“The issue with erosion victims is that they not only lose their homes but also the land. In other calamities, people can rebuild their homes, but that’s impossible for those who lose their land here along with their dwelling units,” said a senior district official.

Sujit Chandra Lodh, the Samserganj block development officer, said that they had provided relief materials, including tarpaulins and food, to the people affected by the erosion.

Amirul Islam, the local Trinamul Congress MLA, demanded that the Farakka Barrage Authority, a central government body, take responsibility for those affected by Ganga erosion.

“The Farakka Barrage Authority should compensate the people affected by erosion in the banks both 60km upstream and downstream of the Ganga,” said the MLA.

Controversy arose when his Jangipur counterpart alleged that the ₹100 crore funds provided by the Mamata Banerjee government to prevent Ganga erosion in Samserganj were not utilised properly.

“Mamata Banerjee’s government allocated ₹100 crore to prevent erosion in Samserganj, but no work was done due to irregularities by some officials and contractors,” said TMC’s Jangipur MLA Jakir Hossain.

Mamata message

The severity of the floods in south Bengal remains a challenge for the state government, as Mamata urged the administration and local representatives to support the people affected by the deluge in the festive season.

“Has the water level decreased there? I have sent new clothes for children and relief for those affected in Khanakul. Did you receive them?” said Mamata while inaugurating a Durga Puja in Arambagh, Hooghly, the area that witnessed an unprecedented deluge, the worst in a decade.

When one of the attendees at the Puja pandal in Arambagh replied that part of Khanakul was still submerged, Mamata urged them to stay with the affected people. “We must also stand with those affected by the flood during this time,” added Mamata.

As the flood left hundreds of people in Hooghly’s Khanakul — one of the worst-hit areas in south Bengal, along with West Midnapore and Howrah — homeless, several puja committees in the area have curtailed expenditures and decided to support the victims.

Sujit Pal, the secretary of Khanakul’s Marokhana Pragatishil Club Durga Puja committee, said the current situation in the area did not allow them to organise the festival with fanfare.

“Most of the people in our area lost their homes. People don’t have the money to sustain their livelihood. That’s why we have decided to limit ourselves to the Puja rituals, not the festivities,” said Pal.

The irrigation department has started a survey to assess the areas with breached embankments. An official said they would submit a detailed report seeking funds to repair the breaches.

Additional reporting by Snehamoy Chakraborty