Infant Drowns in Stagnant Water at Flooded Home in Kolkata’s Dum Dum

Speedy Summary

• Infant Drowns in Home Due to Waterlogging: A five-month-old infant tragically drowned in accumulated rainwater inside her house in Dum Dum, Kolkata. The child fell from the bed while her mother was occupied with household chores.The incident occurred in Ward No. 13 of North Dum Dum municipality.
• Local Reactions: Ward Councillor Prasanta Das visited the grieving family and claimed substantial road repairs had been made since his election in 2022, though locals dispute this and call waterlogging a recurring issue.
• Flooding & Infrastructure Damage: Widespread waterlogging continues across Kolkata, worsened by bad road conditions described by commuters as hazardous. Mayor Firhad Hakim stated that no repairs could proceed due to constant rainfall.
• Building Collapses: A two-story palace collapsed on Saturday morning, injuring two minors. Five buildings have collapsed during this year’s monsoon season alone due to persistent rains.
• Impact Beyond Kolkata:

– Severe waterlogging reported in Hooghly and Howrah districts.
– Over 68,282 Cusecs of water released from Durgapur Barrage raises concerns about flooding potential in Hooghly district.- Cracks discovered at Tilpara Barrage (Birbhum district) led to restricted traffic movement near its foundational structure.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The tragic drowning of an infant underscores how persistent issues like waterlogging can escalate into life-threatening scenarios for residents.Despite municipal claims of infrastructure improvements, areas remain vulnerable to annual monsoon challenges such as inadequate drainage systems and dangerous road conditions.

Beyond urban inconveniences like traffic disruptions and commuter safety hazards, localized building collapses reflect serious structural vulnerabilities exacerbated by incessant rains-a concern not only for residents but also for urban planners managing aging infrastructure amidst heavy rainfall cycles.

Further compounding these challenges are inter-district flooding risks from released barrage waters (e.g., Durgapur). Weak foundational structures like those visible on Tilpara Barrage pose both logistical hurdles-such as restricted transportation-and public safety worries regarding resource management during natural calamities.

While immediate responses center around damage control measures such as halting heavy vehicle movements or conducting rescue operations after accidents occur, proactive long-term solutions addressing drainage efficacy, structural resilience against natural wear-and-tear (especially critical barrages/infrastructure), may offer greater preventative outcomes moving forward.

Read more: The Hindu