Airlift attempt

TT, Calcutta, July 28: An attempt to airlift 20 people stranded in a two-storied building in a flood-hit West Midnapore village failed today after the villagers refused to be lifted with ropes tied around their waist, fearing they would fall.

The failure to rescue the people in Ghatal, despite assurances from the air force and disaster response force personnel, has caused concern among administrative officials as the building where they are stranded has become vulnerable because of the overflowing Shilabati river.

"They had refused to be evacuated when waters of the Shilabati started entering the area last night. They sought to be rescued this afternoon but the NDRF could not reach the area with speedboats because of excessive current in the waters. The air force was requisitioned to rescue them," said Atri Bhattacharya, the Bengal home secretary.

Sources said one Mi17 V5 helicopter was pressed into service after the district magistrate sent the requisition. The helicopter reached the area but found no place to land. It then decided to lift the 20 villagers through winching, a process to rescue people by tying a belt around the upper part of the body and lifting them.

"But none of the villagers agreed to be rescued like that.... They apprehended that they could fall. Efforts to rescue them would be initiated again tomorrow morning," an official said.