The West Bengal government has decided to provide alternate housing to families who lost their houses in Howrah district’s Belgachhia Vagar area, and stop dumping garbage in the landfill.
On Thursday morning, a landslide in the area at the edge of a landfill cracked roads, damaged over 100 houses, and disconnected the drinking water pipeline, affecting residents of a large part of Howrah.
State urban development minister Firhad Hakim Monday visited the area. On Tuesday, he held a high-level meeting along with officials of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the Howrah municipal corporation, the Howrah district administration and police.
Sources said it has been decided that the state government will build apartments for 96 families after a preliminary survey. However, it will be evaluated whether the families have official papers for their residences in the area.
“A massive plan has been drawn up. The state government will build 96 flats in six buildings. The process of the identification of land has started. It will rehabilitate the families who have lost their homes as the land caved in. This will be under the ‘Banglar Bari (state government housing)’ scheme,” said a senior official who was present in the meeting, speaking to The Indian Express on Wednesday.
For now, the families have been placed in nearby schools and food and water is being provided by the state government. The state has so far identified 50 houses which have sustained damage.
“It has been decided that garbage will not be dumped at the Belgachia landfill. For the next 45 days, garbage in the area will be first dumped on a plot of land in Shibpur and then taken to recycling plants in Dhapa, Kolkata and Baidyabati in Hooghly,” said a senior official present at the meeting.
“Alternate housing for those who have lost homes will be made. Other arrangements are being made to repair damages in the area,” Firhad Hakim had said after the meeting on Tuesday.
According to sources, the KMDA will oversee big road repairs in Howrah city, whereas the Howrah Municipal Corporation will repair small roads. The KMDA will also oversee big drainage projects in Howrah city. Sources also stated that 130 supervisors will be appointed to oversee daily work in 66 wards of the Howrah Municipal Corporation.