Melaghar, July 10: The residents of Melaghar Municipality's 7th and 8th wards are facing a severe crisis due to river erosion by the Gomti River. Over 100 families living in these wards have lost their homes and agricultural land to the river, with some families having lost their livelihoods over 20 years ago.

Despite repeated assurances from authorities, no concrete measures have been taken to protect the area from further erosion. In fact, the state government has been accused of allocating funds for bouldering in areas where it is not needed, while neglecting the urgent needs of the residents in these wards.

In 2018, former Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik had promised to provide boulders to prevent river erosion if the BJP came to power. However, despite seven years having passed, no such measures have been taken.

The residents have been forced to take matters into their own hands, with some even resorting to road blockades to draw attention to their plight. The situation has become so dire that residents have been unable to sleep at night, fearing that the river will claim their homes at any moment.

The Melaghar Municipality has reportedly allocated funds for the issue, but the residents claim that a joint effort between the municipality and the state government is needed to find a lasting solution. The residents are planning to launch a mass movement to press for their demands.

The issue has highlighted the lack of effective measures taken by successive governments to address the problem of river erosion in the area, leaving the residents feeling helpless and frustrated.