Villagers demand construction of dam to prevent flooding

Jalpaiguri: Fearing devastation during the upcoming monsoon, residents of the Grassmore Tea Garden area under Sulkapara Gram Panchayat (GP) staged a protest on Monday in the dry bed of the Gathia River, demanding the construction of a protective dam.

Locals said the fast-flowing hill river has already eroded several houses and farmlands. Many families have been forced to relocate. This year, the river has come dangerously close to Line No. 4 of the tea garden, raising fears that a single flood could destroy the entire village.

“There’s no water in the Gathia River now, but during the monsoon, it turns deadly,” said a resident. “Earlier, a flood washed away nearly a kilometre of the Zilla Parishad road from Grassmore to Chhattandu. Though the road was rebuilt, the river is once again eroding it.”

Villagers Phulmati Oraon and Dhruv Narjinari said: “Much of our land and homes have been submerged. If a two-kilometre dam is built, the entire village can be saved.”

Residents alleged that the block administration and former MLAs had promised action earlier, but no steps were taken.

Gaurav Bhowmik, SDO of the Banarhat Irrigation Division, said: “A protection wall was built downstream. We haven’t received reports about this specific area yet, but action will be taken after assessment.”