After land subsidence in Howrah, residents left without water, power; restoration work underway

Howrah: Authorities on Sunday said restoration work was being carried out on a war-footing even as residents were left without water or electricity as critical infrastructure was damaged due to a land subsidence in Howrah city of West Bengal.

A significant land subsidence took place in Belgachia area of Howrah city in the morning of March 21, damaging critical infrastructure, including a 1-km-long water pipeline.

The rupture led to an acute water shortage in several wards of Howrah Municipal Corporation, affecting thousands of residents, sources said.

Locals claimed that dozens of houses have been damaged or partially damaged due to the subsidence.

To mitigate the water crisis, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and nearby civic bodies have deployed water tankers and were distributing water pouches among the affected people.

Residents, however, complained that there were long queues and inadequate supply.

"KMC has already begun work to restore the pipeline, and water supply will be restored by Monday at the latest," an official of the civic body of adjoining Kolkata said.

Power supply has also been affected as several electricity poles have either collapsed or are at risk of falling due to the subsidence.

The administration has relocated 350 residents from 18 severely damaged houses to a local school for temporary shelter, officials said.

Public announcements urging other residents to evacuate have had limited success, as many were uncertain on where to go.

A disaster response team has been kept on standby for assistance in case of further subsidence.

Experts have identified the accumulation of methane gas from decomposing waste at the Belgachia dump as the primary cause of the land subsidence.

They recommended controlled venting of the gas to prevent further weakening of the soil.

State minister and Central Howrah MLA Arup Roy visited the site to assess the damage and reassure residents.

He acknowledged the severity of the situation and stated that the government was actively working on solutions.

"Affected families are being relocated, and experts are being consulted to address the issue. Efforts are underway to restore essential services as soon as possible," Roy said.