West Bengal Finance Minister Ashim Dasgupta said here today that both Mahananda and Fulahar rivers in Malda have been flowing near the danger line. And with the water level in the Ganga rising steadily, the state administration had to call the Army to battle the situation which has already left over 34 dead in the last three months. However, the minister said the Army's service would be required only in Malda.

The minister said, over 10 lakh people were affected in North Bengal which received about 50 per cent more rainfall than its usual share per year.

In Malda situation had taken a turn for worse with heavy erosion along the bank of Ganga. ``The district administration has been fighting an impossible situation to save a spur at 24 km from Farakka since last night,'' he said.

The minister told reporters that the State Government had taken a decision to construct two more spurs, one 28 km and the other 29 km from Farakka, ``as soon as there is some respite from the flood situation''. The spurs are inserted at points to lessen the impact of the river on banks.

The minister said though the Union Government had promised West Bengal Rs 30 crore for the purpose, so far ``we haven't received any fund from the promised sum''.

Beside Malda, the worst affected areas during this monsoon are Coach Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling, he said. The State Government had decided to add Rs 4 crore to the already allotted Rs 12 crore for relief operations.