JAGATSINGHPUR: After forcibly closing the sluice gates near Kukurkhai for two days, irate villagers of flood-hit Kathakota panchayat in Kujang block withdrew their protest on Monday following the administration’s assurance to provide adequate relief.
Sub-Collector Dharmendra Mallick and Kujang tehsildar Smruti P Priyadarshini met the agitating villagers in the afternoon following which the sluice gates were opened.
The agitators, including women and children, had staged protests and refused to open the gates until sufficient relief materials were provided to them. With the gates closed, the floodwater could not be released leading to inundation of 12 panchayats of Kujang and Tirtol blocks.
Facing major inconvenience due to water-logging, residents of Kolar, Gopalpur, Porogodeipur, Krishanandapur, Danilo and Kanimul panchayats in Tirtol and Hansura, Balikani and Kathakota in Kujang had urged the local administration to take immediate steps to open the sluice gates and release floodwater.
Sources said that Kathakota panchayat, having a population of 5,000, was severely affected in the recent floods. Paddy and vegetable crops over agriculture fields were submerged while villagers had to spend several days without food and drinking water as the panchayat was cut off the rest of the district.
Alleging irregularities in distribution of relief materials and inadequate assistance, villagers had closed the sluice gates in protest. Priyadarshini said that water has receded from the flooded panchayats after agitating villagers of Kathakota opened the sluice gates. The administration would soon supply required quantities of relief materials to the flood-hit villages.