Floods leave no dry land for cremation in Bengal's Ghatal
Several districts in West Bengal are on the brink of a severe flood crisis as the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has released water from two dams. The situation is exacerbated by ongoing heavy rains, with cities such as Howrah, Hooghly, Birbhum, West Midnapore, East Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia, West Burdwan, and East Burdwan districts facing flood-like situations. The floods have caused such extensive waterlogging that there is no dry land left for cremations in Ghatal.
Floods disrupt cremation rituals, dam breach affects villages
The dilemma was evident when a family struggled to find a suitable site for the final rites of their relative, Pratima Chowdhury, who died on Tuesday night. Rajkumar Chowdhury, a family member told Local18 that the family had no alternative except to place the body on a boat, steer it through the strong currents of water on the road, and look for dry land. The cremation could not be performed until many hours later, when a suitable location was found.
Dam breaches and crop damage exacerbate flood crisis
In Hooghly, the Dwarakeswar River's breach has caused floods, forcing residents to abandon their homes for safer shelters. Areas along the Damodar such as Bankura, West Burdwan, East Burdwan, Hooghly, and Howrah are among those most severely affected by this flood situation. The West Bengal government has put district magistrates on high alert and mobilized senior officials for rescue operations. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed officials to be prepared for any eventuality.
DVC's water release and relief measures amid floods
According to DVC data, around 2.5 lakh cusec water was released for approximately six hours on Tuesday, a volume not seen since September 2009. A DVC official clarified that West Bengal was informed about this release. In response to the crisis, a 24X7 control room has been established with over 180 relief camps set up and around 8,000 people relocated to these camps. At least 17 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed for assistance.
