August 2, 2015
WB CM visits flood affected areas of Howrah, takes stock of relief works
The West Bengal Government, headed by Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee has been taking every required measures to provide relief after over 18 hours of continuous pounding by torrential rain that started on Friday evening inundated vast areas of 12 districts, almost all of them in south Bengal, marooning over 18 lakh people. Excess rain since the beginning of the monsoon season in mid-June had already left these districts facing a flood-like situation. The overnight rain, triggered by a deep depression, has aggravated the situation further.
The West Bengal Chief Minister, who had cut short her London trip to return to her flood-ravaged state, chaired a review meeting at Nabanna on Saturday and then toured the affected districts. She confirmed 39 rain-related deaths in the state and said that chief secretary will hold another review meeting on Sunday .
The West Bengal Chief Minister said that the State Government would try to support the people with its own resources but will not beg the Centre for relief. “Did the Centre send any help for Darjeeling (where landslides killed many last month)?”
While visiting the flood affected places in Howrah, at a relief camp in Howrah’s Udaynarayanpur, the West Bengal Chief Minister asked the inmates if they had any complaints and directed officials to ensure everyone in need of help received relief.
Urban development minister Firhad Hakim visited Arambagh during the day and oversaw relief arrangements. Other ministers have also been asked to visit flood affected areas to coordinate relief operations.
The Government has so far set up 946 relief camps where 1,19,030 people have already taken shelter. The number is expected to rise manifold as boats have been deployed to bring several lakh marooned people to safer locales.
