The Threat of Ganga Erosion in Mamlakha Panchayat; Villagers Outraged Over 200-Meter Gap in Protection Work, Appeal to Member of Parliament
Bhagalpur/Akbarnagar: The annual horror of the rising water levels and the subsequent erosion by the Ganga remains a major challenge for the coastal areas of Bhagalpur. Currently, the Ganga erosion protection work underway at Chayanchak village in Mamlakha Panchayat has sparked new controversy and concern. While the department is carrying out protection work in certain sections, a critical erosion site located just 200 meters away has been left completely neglected. The villagers have now appealed to the Member of Parliament (MP) to immediately initiate erosion-control work on this remaining 200-meter stretch.
The Reality on the Ground
Villagers allege that the work initiated by the administration to prevent erosion has been done in a half-hearted manner. The protection work has failed to reach the spot in Chayanchak where the intensity of the erosion is at its highest. This area, located just 200 meters from the site designated by the department, is currently in the direct path of the Ganga’s currents. If erosion-control measures are not implemented here in time, the river is poised to swallow the fertile land and homes that have remained safe until now.
Growing Fear and Warning from Villagers
A deep sense of fear prevails among the residents of this region. Several families have already been rendered homeless due to the erosion, and those who remain are spending their nights in terror. The villagers claim that they have been given assurances repeatedly, but the situation on the ground remains unchanged. The villagers have made it clear that if protection work is not carried out on the remaining 200-meter stretch soon, the encroaching Ganga will reach the main residential area of the village in the coming days, leading to inevitable catastrophe.
A delegation of villagers will soon meet the MP to apprise him of the gravity of the situation. They have demanded that the relevant department be directed to extend the protection work scientifically, covering the entire shoreline.
Questions Over the Department's Lacking Approach
It is often observed that anti-erosion works are carried out as mere formalities or in fragmented segments, which often changes the direction of the erosion and puts other areas at risk. The villagers of Chayanchak ask: if the government releases funds to stop erosion, what is the justification for leaving out this critical 200-meter stretch? They have demanded a technical survey of the erosion site and high-quality, continuous work.
Hopes Pinned on the MP
Local residents believe that if the MP intervenes, the pace of work could be accelerated. They are demanding that he visit the site personally and hold departmental officials accountable. The villagers have issued a direct warning: "Either complete the work on the 200-meter stretch, or we will be forced to face displacement due to the growing threat of erosion."
For now, the people of Chayanchak village in Mamlakha Panchayat stand helpless before the formidable form of the Ganga, waiting for the administration's next move. With the onset of the monsoon, their anxieties have only intensified, as the speed of the erosion is expected to increase further.
