The recurring collapse of an embankment on Bhutni islet in Malda has triggered a demand for a high-level investigation, as flood-hit residents continue to face severe disruption and questions grow over the construction and maintenance of the protective infrastructure.
Malda Dakshin MP Isha Khan Choudhury visited the inundated islet on Sunday with former Manikchak MLA Mottakin Alam and local Congress leaders. The MP said the breach at Kesharpur near Hiranandapapur was the root cause of the current crisis and alleged that similar embankment collapses had occurred in previous years.
Khan Choudhury called for an investigation into the role of engineers in the state irrigation department and contractors assigned to construct or repair the embankments. He questioned whether project plans had contained lapses and whether contractors had followed standard construction norms.
The MP also sought a review of how relief materials were being distributed. He urged the Malda district administration to provide supplies in equal quantities to people staying in flood shelters and those who remain confined to submerged homes.
The concerns come as parts of Malda continue to receive relief support following the flooding. Trade bodies in the district have mobilised supplies for affected residents in Bhutni, Ratua-I, Parlalpur in Kaliachak-III and Khaskol in Englishbazar blocks.
Malda district magistrate Rajanvir Singh Kapur said the administration had sought assistance from the Malda Merchant Chamber of Commerce and the Malda Industrial Chamber of Commerce alongside relief provided by the state government. The materials collected through chambers, industries and local establishments include food items, biscuits, bedsheets, mosquito nets, shampoos and soaps.
The relief consignment also includes life jackets for distribution and use in flood-hit areas, according to administrative sources. The supplies are intended for residents affected by inundation and for operations in locations where access has been disrupted by floodwater.
Bhutni’s embankment system is central to protecting settlements on the islet from flooding. The latest breach has therefore placed the condition, design and execution of the protective works under scrutiny. The MP said a high-level inquiry should examine the repeated failures and establish whether responsibility lay with planning, departmental supervision or construction practices.
The report did not provide details of any formal probe ordered by the state government or the irrigation department. It also did not specify the length of the breached section, the number of affected households or the estimated cost of repairs. The district administration’s immediate focus remains relief distribution and support for residents in the inundated areas.
