RAINY DAY

River levels rising in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, June 19: Following incessant downpour at upper catchment areas and on the plains since last night the water levels of almost all the major rivers that are flowing through Cooch Behar district are rising. Several areas in Cooch Behar town turned waterlogged and made normal life disrupted. The rain is still continuing.

 

Rising of water levels of rivers like Mansai in Mathabhanga, Kaljani and Raidak in Tufanganj, Torsa in Cooch Behar and Teesta in Mekhliganj is causing concern of the locals. The water levels of Kaljani and Torsa are rising rapidly towards the danger marks. The water levels of the rivers are still below the danger mark but the situation may turn worse if the rain continues at upper catchment areas.

 

Official sources said that all the sub-divisional officers and block development officers were alerted to get ready to meet flood situation. There are plenty of relief materials in this district to meet the flood situation, but if downpour continues at the upper catchment areas on Bhutan Hills the situation may turn grave, a senior official said.

 

District Flood Control office sources said rainfall recorded in Cooch Behar in the last 24 hours upto 6 a.m. was 27.20 mm. The rainfall in Tufanganj was 40.60 mm and in Mathabhanga it was 4.80 mm during the same period. The rain is still continuing and a forecast was there for heavier downpour in the next 48 hours.

 

Vice-president of district Trinamul Congress, Mr Niranjan Dutta alleged that the swelling Torsa river might pose danger to the Cooch Behar Palace as well as entire Cooch Behar town during this monsoon. The town-saving dyke that was constructed in 1954 to save Cooch Behar town was never repaired since its construction. The government allots a huge sum of money every year to maintain the dyke but no work was done till now to maintain and renovate this dyke. Alleging misappropriation of fund he demanded a high level inquiry into the matter. []

 

PHOTO : Walking in the rain – In a street in Cooch Behar town on Thursday.