Tag: flood

West Bengal Govt to distribute spinach seeds to flood-affected farmers

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The state agriculture department has started distributing seeds of the quick growing spinach (palang) to flood-affected farmers.

A senior official of the state agriculture department said that those seeds will mature within 24 days after sowing.

“We hope that farmers could make up a part of their loss by sowing the seeds of the quick growing spinach. Accordingly, they could sell them within a month. Such seeds are being distributed to them free of cost,” he said.

Each farmer is getting seeds of around 150 grams of palang spinach and 50 grams of note spinach from local BDO offices. Over 1.60 lakh packets of spinach seeds will be distributed among the farmers of the twelve flood-affected districts.

Over 52.83 lakh farmers were affected with flood and crops of around 17,429 mouza were damaged. Compensation amounting to Rs.50 crore has been sanctioned and cheques are also being distributed among farmers.

Farmers are getting in between Rs.1000 and 27,000 as compensation.

Two senior officials of the agriculture department including principal secretary of the same department have reached New Delhi to meet senior officials of the Union agriculture ministry.

“This is a routine meeting. Senior officials from the state government met the senior officials of the Union agriculture ministry to discuss preparedness of the sowing of rabi crops,” a source said.

Bengal Govt to help 30 lakh flood-hit farmers

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The West Bengal government has decided to give monetary compensation to 30 lakh farmers who have lost their crops due to floods in the state.

“Nearly 30 lakh farmers who have suffered partial or full crop damage will get a compensation of Rs.13,500 from the state government,” Pradip Majumdar, Chief Agriculture Advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

More than 11.5 lakh hectares of land has been identified by the state government which has been either fully or partially affected by the floods in the month of August this year.

“Near about 13 lakh hectares of land has been affected either partially or fully. Out of this we have identified 11.5 lakh hectares of land farmers of which are eligible for compensation,” said Mazumdar.

He said that more than 10 lakh farmers had been registered so far who would be eligible for the compensation.

“With the next few days we will be able to complete the list of 30 lakh farmers for their registration,” said Mazumdar.

The compensation of Rs.13,500 would be given to farmers to create new seed bed for cultivation of crops as existing sea beds have been washed away by the floods.

Asked for disaster relief funds worth Rs 21000 Cr: WB CM after meeting PM

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West Bengal Chief Minister today met the Prime Minister in New Delhi and requested the Centre to release funds worth Rs 21000 crore for flood relief operations in Bengal.

She also said that the Centre must modernise DVC and carry out dredging along Damodar’ it is because of release of water by DVC that flood is caused in Bengal, she said.

Addressing a press conference, she said, “West Bengal faced major floods. We have submitted a memorandum to the PM seeking funds for disaster relief.”

At the same time, she also talked about the Centre’s delay in releasing funds on account of Backward Region Development Fund (BRDF) meant for 11 back ward districts in Bengal and also on sectors where the Centre has slashed fund support drastically.

The West Bengal Chief Minister also requested the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of Niti Ayog to discuss plan size. “Planning Commission and National Development Council used to discuss matters of State earlier. They have been shut down. Central funds for several schemes like modernisation of police have been stopped. We sought Niti Ayog meeting for that,” she said.

“We have discussed about a ‘Business Corridor’ involving four countries – Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India – under Look East Policy, ” WB CM added.

WB CM distributes relief materials at Ashoknagar

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The West Bengal Government, headed by Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee has been taking every required measure to provide relief after continuous pounding by torrential rain that started on Friday evening and 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, stayed in Nabanna on Sunday to monitor the relief operations from the control room.

She visited the flood affected places in Ashoknagar (North 24 Parganas district) and distributed relief materials at a relief camp in Kajla.

“The Govt is and will provide all the necessary relief to those affected by this natural calamity. This moment of crisis should not be used for political purposes and individual gain,” she said.

“I prefer working at grassroots for people, who have lost everything, than to show up for discussions on TV channels,” CM added.

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.

TMC ministers, elected representatives carry out flood relief operations in districts

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As per the orders of West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee, the ministers of the West Bengal Cabinet are present at the flood affected zones in different part of south Bengal, taking stock of the flood situation and distributing relief materials.

State youth affairs and housing minister Aroop Biswas, Manturam Pakhira, minister of state in charge of Sunderbans development and Giyasuddin Mollah, minister of state for minorities affairs & madrasah education, visited different parts of the flood affected zones of South 24 Parganas and distributed relief materials.

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay and locals MLAs were also present with the team of ministers.

The State housing minister said that the team had visited 60 to 65 relief camps out of the 183, opened by the State Government. They had taken stock of the situation and the supply of relief materials, he said.

On Tuesday, the team of ministers will visit places like Kawkdweep and Namkhana in Diamond Harbour area.

At other areas in south Bengal, Trinamool MPs and MLAs are also monitoring the relief works in their respective constituencies along with other elected representatives of the areas. MPs, Suvendu Adhikari in Tamluk took active  support in rescue and relief.

WB CM monitors flood situation all night from Nabanna

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee on Sunday decided to stay overnight at Nabanna to personally monitor the flood situation. After several meetings with her officials, WB CM had set up a control room at the state secretariat to keep an eye on the problem 24X7. Senior administrative officials were present along with the Chief Minister during the night when she spoke to the district officials at every interval.

“The situation has deteriorated, particularly in the four districts of Murshidabad, Birbhum, Howrah and Hooghly , due to excessive rain and the release of water from barrages,“ the West Bengal Chief Minister said.“We are keeping an eye on it and are ready to stand by the affected people.“

The Chief Minister has postponed her north Bengal trip scheduled on Monday and will instead visit the flood-affected areas of Habra in North 24-Parganas. On Saturday, she visited flood-hit areas in Howrah. According to the disaster management department’s report, 47 municipalities across the state have been affected by floods. Senior police and district officials have already been posted accordingly. The government is appealing to all affected people in the districts to move to their nearest relief camp before the problem worsens.

The Chief Minister will today visit the cyclone affected Kajla in Ashoknagar, North 24 Parganas.

While the Chief Minister has already started visiting the affected zones from Saturday evening, ministers from the State cabinet are also visiting different districts to supervise relief works.

Till now, about 38,046 houses have been completely wrecked and 2,05,901 have suffered partial damages because of the heavy rain.

Till Sunday , the number of affected districts stood at 12 and a total of 36,90,627 people have been affected. About 4,72,645 hectare of crop area has been damaged. The government is also running 204 medical camps and relief material is being sent to all the affected districts.

Reports of embankments getting damaged have also come in from several gram panchayats in Burdwan and West Midnapore. In areas under Kolkata Municipal Corporation, 73 pumping stations are working to flush out excess rainwater.

WB CM personally monitors flood relief operations from Nabanna

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The excessive rain for the past two days coupled with high tide and water released from Jharkhand and Odisha has rendered the flood situation in West Bengal “beyond control”, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday.

She advised people in vulnerable areas to take shelter in relief camps to avoid “untoward incidents”.

“In the last four years, there has been no flood like this year’s. So far, we have witnessed man-made floods and we have restricted them quite successfully. But the situation at present is rendered beyond control,” Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna on Sunday.

“I know that it is difficult to stay out of home but life is priority. So you must stay in relief camps for two, three days,” Banerjee said, advising people in vulnerable areas to take shelter at relief camps.

Yesterday, I had said that there was 61 percent excess rainfall. Today, it’s 70 percent excess rainfall, she said.

Holding the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) responsible for releasing excess water resulting in floods in the state, Banerjee said, “DVC is doing business…We love them but that does not mean they will submerge Bengal.”

“Two years ago, we had written to the Centre that more than two lakh cusecs of water can be reserved in DVC reservoir only if dredging is done. I will again write to them,” she said.

The Chief Minister earlier held a meeting with Chief Secretary, DGP, IG Law and Order, IG Police and Disaster Management Secretary.

WB CM visits flood affected areas of Howrah, takes stock of relief works

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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.

Flood situation: WB CM chairs meeting of disaster management group at Nabanna

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West Bengal Chief Minister held a meeting with the disaster management committee of the State to review the flood situation in the State. Several officials and ministers of various departments were present in the meeting.

The Chief Minister assigned specific ministers the charge over overseeing relief operations in specific districts. She said that Bengal received excess rainfall this year, over and above the normal. Ruing the fact that no one can control natural calamities, she said the government was taking all precautions in light of the fresh prediction of heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours.

“39 people have died so far in the flood situation due to various reasons like electrocution and snake bites. We have decided to give ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to families of those have lost their lives due to floods,” she announced during a press briefing after the meeting.

“We will carry out a survey of the damages caused to crops and farmlands. We are requesting the Centre to repair National Highways. PWD Dept will take care of State Highways,” she added.

The government had launched an emergency helpline 1070 yesterday for flood relief operations.

WB Govt launches emergency helpline number 1070 for flood situation

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today reached Kolkata at 4:30 PM IST. Without wasting any time, she conducted a meeting with the Home Secretary and other senior officials at the airport itself.

The Chief Minister said that 26000 people have been shifted to relief camps so far. “Our priority is to provide relief to stranded people and carry on with rescue operations,” she added.

The government has launched an emergency helpline number. People can call 1070 for any information related to the relief operations.

Highlights of WB CM’s press briefing at Dumdum airport:

  • I met senior officials at airport itself. I took stock of the flood situation in the State from Home Secretary
  • I cut short my London visit due of the flood situation and impending cyclone. Dr Mitra and other officials are in London for meetings
  • We have dispatched relief materials to the affected areas. We are taking all measures to stand by the side of people
  • No one can control nature. We feel saddened at the losses due to heavy rains. Our priority is to provide relief to stranded people and carry on with rescue operations
  • Many houses and farm lands have been affected due to heavy rains. We will do everything possible to help people
  • We are monitoring the situation. District administration has been alerted. People in coastal areas must be careful

 

Tweets of WB CM from Dumdum airport: