Hungry, they pulled themselves up in the raging Ganges with their small hands for jaggery wrapped in a blue packet, some got it, some returned empty-handed

BS News Agency: Malda: Water is just water...! Beds, pillows, pots, pots - everything is under the water. A day or two has passed, a few weeks have passed, but the water has not receded in Bhutni. The picture of how helpless the village is, far from the city, cut off from electricity and internet, was captured on Wednesday afternoon. The way the small children, wrapped in a blue packet and taking their lives in their hands for jaggery, went out with a dinghy is heartbreaking. Bhutni is submerged in floods. Water is up to the neck in every house. On Wednesday afternoon, suddenly the news reached them that relief had arrived. They went out with a tin dinghy.

The small children went to bring food for their family members. They may not even know how to stand up. The dinghy, somehow pulled by small hands, could capsize at any time. The elderly had also reached there to collect food for their children.

Government aid has arrived. Relief has also arrived from various private organizations. As soon as the news reached, people left their homes and took dinghies. Since Manikchak, the entire village is under water.

As far as you can see, there is only water. There is no means of communication with the people of that village. The administration is making every effort. The army is also present.

However, many people had to return empty-handed today despite coming in tin dinghies. When contacted, BJP MLA from English Bazaar Amlan Bhaduri said, "Relief was given in two booths today. 1,100 packets were kept for 800 families. Poor people have taken more than one packet.

We will make arrangements to give relief again tomorrow." He also said that there is no situation to reach every house. Even boats are not reaching some places. He claimed that even though the central government had given 1,200 crore rupees earlier, there was no development. He also commented that the previous government had looted and ate.