113 receive compensation in Belgachia Baghad land subsidence, ₹10 lakh grant sanctioned

A total of 113 families affected by land subsidence in Belgachia Baghad received compensation checks of ₹10,000-₹15,000 on Tuesday. Additionally, a ₹10 lakh grant from the MLA fund was sanctioned to the District Magistrate for area development. The subsidence, caused by a landslide at the Belgachia landfill, led to road damage, house collapses, and a water pipeline explosion last Thursday, leaving nearly 100 families homeless. The state government has provided 20-feet-long shipping containers as temporary shelters for affected families, while others have been advised to stay with relatives.

West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim announced that 96 displaced families would receive new homes under the Banglar Bari scheme, with completion expected in 18 months. “We have restored the water pipeline completely. We have created a tender for drainage work, which will start in one month,” Hakim said during a meeting at the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs office in Kolkata’s New Town. Civic body and district officials from Howrah and Kolkata were present at the meeting.

The government has decided to stop waste dumping at the Belgachia landfill, redirecting Howrah’s waste to Kolkata’s Dhapa, Hooghly’s Baidyabati, and an open space in Shibpur’s Arupara. On Wednesday, Arupara residents protested against garbage trucks arriving in the morning, citing environmental and civic concerns. “We do not want a new landfill here — that was not what we agreed to when we bought properties,” a protester said. Meanwhile, Howrah residents affected by the subsidence and water crisis continue to face governance issues, as the Howrah Municipal Corporation has remained non-functional since its last elected term ended in 2018, with a board of administrators currently managing its responsibilities.