KOLKATA: State Disaster Management and Civil Defence minister Javed Ahmed Khan on Monday said the government had set up 221 multipurpose cyclone shelters in the three coastal districts of the state that are frequently hit by natural calamities.
Khan at the same time was vocal about the Centre's indifference in disbursing funds to the state after it had incurred losses to the tune of Rs 102000 crore due to severe cyclonic storm Amphan that had hit the state in May 2020.
"The Prime Minister had assured us of providing assistance in connection with damage suffered due to cyclone and flood-like situation. We had incurred estimated damage to the tune of Rs 102000 crore due to Amphan, but the Centre has disbursed only Rs 2007 crore," Khan said in response to a supplementary question from a BJP legislator of North Bengal at the state Assembly.
Khan said the state government had already formed a disaster management team in Siliguri that could cater to landslides or similar emergencies in the Hills.
"We have formed a committee that imparts need-based training to the people so that they can extend assistance in case of natural calamities affecting a particular area. But the centre has not provided any assistance in connection with such programmes in North Bengal," he added.
Khan informed the House that the 221 multipurpose cyclone shelters set up across the state, including 63 in North 24-Parganas, 115 in South 24-Parganas and 43 in East Midnapore.
The proposal for another 24 cyclone centres has been floated that includes 4 in North 24-Parganas, 15 in South 24-Parganas and 5 in East Midnapore. "The estimated expenditure incurred for each of these multipurpose cyclone shelters has been to the tune of Rs 2.77 crore to Rs 4.40 crore," Khan maintained.