Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit Ghatal on August 5, which has been one of the worst-affected areas due to continuous rainfall and alleged indiscriminate release of water from DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation).
Banerjee may also visit Arambag in Hooghly on the same day, which has also faced inundation. State Irrigation and Waterways minister, Manas Bhunia on Friday chaired a meeting at the SDO office in Ghatal in presence of government officials, public representatives and Panchayat functionaries to ensure that the people affected by flood-like situation get adequate relief and proper rehabilitation .
“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has advised us to ensure that food, relief materials, drinking water, medicine, clothing, etc reach people who have been affected by the flood-like situation at Ghatal.
We are leaving no stone unturned to stand by the people in this time of crisis.
There has been heavy rainfall since June 18, the highest in the last 26 years and various parts of West Midnapore have borne the brunt,“ said Bhunia.
He blamed DVC for indiscriminate release of water from its Panchet and Maithon dams, as well as from Galudi Dam in Jharkhand, for further aggravating this flood-like situation. “All the rivers in West Midnapore are flowing above the danger level, inundating several areas and rendering people destitute,” he added. As many as 8 Panchayats in Ghatal, 2 under Daspur and 12 wards under Ghatal municipality have been affected.
Since June 18, around 1.26 lakh people have been affected. Presently, 15 relief camps are running, and 1200 people have been sheltered there.