CM Mamata calls Chief Secy & irrigation minister, takes stock of relief operations

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed concern over the heavy inundation in north Bengal and instructed the administration to keep relief material ready. Banerjee who was in New Delhi, called up Chief Secretary Moloy De and state Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee in the morning and took stock of the situation.

Following the instructions of the Chief Minister to have all administrative measures in place, De chaired an emergency meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna with secretaries of all the departments and directed them to keep relief material ready in case of any emergency. Incessant rain has lashed Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur,and Coochbehar since August 7. Rivers like the Torsa, Jaldhaka, Raidak, Mansai and Kaljani and Dayna are flowing above the danger level.

After the meeting, a top official said that that 700 relief camps has been set up in the affected districts, with Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar being the worst hit. "Almost the entire Alipurduar district is in darkness with power supplies being snapped as a power station was submerged," the official said.

State Irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee, said,"The Chief Minister is constantly monitoring the situation. There has been abnormal rainfall in certain places over the last 24 hours. Hasimara has received 532 mm rainfall, Cooch Behar 250 mm, Jalpaiguri 295 mm and Alipurduar 350 mm."