The bank of the Ganga in Bhutni where the river has been advancing steadily. Picture by Surajit Roy Malda, July 28: People living on Bhutni island on the Ganga are facing a dilemma: whether to allow the river to breach the embankment and bring in silt that will enrich the soil, or ask the irrigation department to take steps to stop the flooding. "If the rising waters of the river breach the embankment and deposit the silt, we will have a green revolution on the island,' a farmer said. The pradhan of the Hiranandapur gram panchayat, Subes Mondol, agreed with the farmer, but also spoke of the flip side. "If the embankment crumbles, the people here will suffer for a couple of months. But after that the harvests will bring smiles to their faces,' the pradhan said. The embankment goes right around the island. "If too much water enters, we can take shelter on top of the embankment, which is 10-12ft wide,' the farmer said. However, the irrigation department is worried about the state of affairs. Three villages on the island