A four-day march to press for central funds to check the erosion of the Ganga’s banks and rehabilitate the victims commenced in Malda on Tuesday.

The rally, which started from Ratua 1 block in Malda, will end in Farakka in the neighbouring Murshidabad district, covering different erosion-affected areas.

In Malda and Murshidabad, the two districts located on the left and the right banks of the Ganga, respectively, erosion is a major problem that left thousands of people homeless over the years.

On Tuesday, a group of around 50 persons under the banner of the Ganga Bhangan Pratirodh Action Nagarik Committee (GBPANC) and Jana Andolan, a Calcutta-based social organisation, launched the rally from Bilaimari, an erosion-affected area in Ratua.

“The central government cannot ignore the issue as people are losing their land and houses. The Centre should take the entire responsibility to carry out anti-erosion works as the Ganga is a national river,” said Tarikul Islam, an office-bearer of the GBPANC.

“Also, the state government should work on rehabilitation of the erosion victims. Hundreds of families have been living in makeshift tents as their houses and agricultural land have been eroded by the Ganga and some other rivers,” he added.

Over the past few years, chief minister Mamata Banerjee and some other state ministers and TMC leaders have time and again pointed out that the Centre is not providing funds to address the erosion issue.

The Farakka Barrage Project Authority, which used to carry out anti-erosion works along a stretch, now works in a smaller stretch, Mamata had mentioned.

On the first day, the rally reached Bhutni, an islet in the Manikchak block of Malda and another area in the district that has been affected due to erosion.

“Crores of money are being spent for different projects taken up in the upstream of the Ganga. However, for Malda and Murshidabad, no fund is allotted. The Centre should act and come up with a permanent and scientific solution to address erosion,” said Mosarekul Anwar of Jana Andolan.

During the rally, they will hold street corners in different erosion-affected areas of
both districts.,

As the rally commenced, there was a massive erosion at the Kharchabona area
of Bilaimari.

“A 100-metre-long area was swallowed by the Ganga,” said a villager.

Sabina Yeasmin, the minister of state of the irrigation department who is from Malda, has lent support to the movement.

“We welcome their decision to conduct the rally. Our government and the
party are constantly highlighting the fact that the Centre is ignorant of the plight of thousands of people. The state has rehabilitated many erosion victims and has also provided them funds under the housing scheme so that they can build houses,” said Yeasmin.