The West Bengal government has decided to provide alternative housing to families who lost their houses last week due to land subsidence in Belgachia Vagar area, Howrah district, and also stop dumping garbage in the landfill.

On Thursday morning, a land subsidence in the area, at the edge of a landfill cracked roads, damaged over 100 houses, and disconnected the drinking water pipeline, affecting residents.

State Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim on Tuesday held a meeting along with officials of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, Howrah municipal corporation, Howrah district administration and police.

“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 families who have lost their houses. 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.