Sundarban affairs minister Bankim Hazra on Thursday encountered a hostile crowd of villagers, primarily women, during a visit to inspect an embankment by the Hatania-Doania river in South 24-Parganas.

The visit to the Narayanganj area in Namkhana came amid the continued erosion of the riverbank, which has been wreaking havoc on agriculture for over two months.

Police had to intervene to clear a path for the minister, who was surrounded by angry villagers demanding answers about his alleged failure in controlling the erosion while demanding permanent work like boulder pitching of the riverbank.

Hazra, accompanied by irrigation department officials and Namkhana panchayat samiti chief Abhishek Das, attempted to calm the crowd, asking for more time to address the situation.

Local sources said the area had been severely affected by repeated floods, triggered by breaches in the earthen dyke along the river. Just before Durga Puja, a 50-metre section of the embankment collapsed, sparking panic among residents. Despite the administration’s efforts to repair the damage, the erosion has left the earthen dyke in a precarious state.

“District administration officials have been aware of the situation, but it seems they aren’t taking the problem seriously,” one villager alleged.

The Namkhana block administration recently initiated a ₹7 crore maintenance project for the dyke, but work has been slow. On Tuesday, the repair efforts were halted when an earth remover, along with its driver, plunged into the river.

Minister Hazra arrived on Thursday to assess the situation firsthand but was immediately confronted by villagers who accused the government of inaction.

“The irrigation department started the repair with a budget of ₹7 crore, but nothing significant has been done so far,” said Shyamal Manna, a resident. “We fear a disaster is looming.”

Hazra acknowledged the villagers’ concerns.

“I came here as soon as I learned about the dire condition of the riverbank. No other representative had visited, so I understand why the people are angry,” he said. “I asked them with folded hands to give us time to resolve the issue.”

Panchayat samiti chief Das said the erosion along the Hatania-Doania river worsened because of the formation of a char land on the opposite bank. “The frequent passage of large ships and boats in the area has intensified wave action, further weakening the riverbank,” he said.

Das also said the state government had been struggling to manage the situation in the absence of central funds.

“Recent cyclones and high tides have exacerbated the problem, and while we are doing our best, some factors are beyond our control, which the villagers are understandably frustrated about. At present, no work of a permanent nature is possible unless funds are available even though we have submitted a project in this regard” he added.