August 4, 2015
12 out of 20 districts in Bengal flood-affected: WB CM

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today conducted a video conference with the DMs of the flood-affected districts to review the flood situation in South Bengal.
During a press briefing at the end of the meeting, WB CM said 12 out of 20 districts of Bengal are flood-hit. She said she will seek funds from the Centre for disaster relief.
WB CM also said that she has sought time from the PM for a meeting when she visits New Delhi on 11-12 August. She will raise the issue of compensation for farmers and suggest to Centre about farm loan waiver.
WB CM called for modernisation of the DVC and said dredging work in Damodar needs to be carried out immediately. She has spoken to Union Minister Peeyush Goyal regarding the matter. “Bengal is suffering because of DVC. Dredging work has not been done due to which water is overflowing,” she said.
WB CM has also instructed all district magistrates to prepare full survey report of the damages causes due to floods by 18 August, 2015.
Flood situation in Bengal as of now:
- 233 blocks affected
- 53 municipalities affected
- 2 corporations affected
- 781 gram panchayats affected
- 16309 villages affected
- 61 lakh people affected
- 4 lakh houses destroyed
- 8 lakh hectares of land destroyed
- 11000 cattle lost their lives
- 3000 relief camps have been opened
- 4 lakh people currently at relief camps
- 1500 community kitchens have been opened
- 663 medical camps have been opened
- 12 lakh pouches of water being distributed
- Cattle camps have been set up
- Bunds and embankments are being repaired
The West Bengal Chief Minister has been monitoring the flood situation closely from the control room we set up in Nabanna since Sunday, when she stayed overnight at the State Secretariat. On Monday, she visited Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas to take stock of the devastation caused by a cyclone in that area. She also distributed relief materials to the affected people.