Mamata visits grieving family in Mirik, puts review meet on hold
Sukhiapokhri: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday chose to keep the review meeting at Sukhiapokhri on hold for a few hours and instead rushed to Mirik to visit the family in mourning where three persons had died in the recent killer landslides. She also visited the relief camps to see for herself the condition in which the landslide victims were residing in the camps.
The Chief Minister was scheduled to arrive from Kurseong at the Sukhiapokhri block office at around 1 pm to distribute relief, hand over employment certificates to a member each from the families of the deceased as well as ex-gratia cheques to the victim families. At around 1.20 pm, the Chief Minister’s cavalcade arrived at Sukhiapokhri. She, however, decided to continue to Mirik, around 35 km away, to visit the family of the deceased along with the relief camps.
On reaching Mirik, she headed for the house of Lokesh Rai in Ward 3. Lokesh along with his family members are in mourning having lost his father Birendra Rai (63) mother Usha Rai (59) and sister Swapna Lama (40) in the devastating landslides in the wee hours of October 5. Keeping media persons outside, the Chief Minister entered the room where Lokesh was sitting in ‘kora’ (mourning as part of the last rites). She expressed her condolences and enquired how the tragedy had struck.
She then assured the bereaved family that the district administration was always with them and in case of any requirement to contact LB Rai, the Chairman of Mirik Municipality. She even handed over a bag containing relief to the family.
From there she visited the relief camp at the Mirik Community Hall beside the lake. 108 families have taken shelter there. Children offered her flowers and drawings. An elated Chief Minister hugged them and handed over drawing copies, colour pencils, toys and chocolate. “Draw to your heart’s content in these copies” she said, hugging them.
She asked all if they had received relief and advised them to visit the special outreach camp (running at the shelter camp) to register their names in case they have lost any important documents including Aadhar cards. Large crowds had gathered at Mirik and Sukhiapokhri to catch a glimpse of the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister exchanged pleasantries and handed over chocolates to the children.
From Mirik, she rushed back to Sukhiapokhri. “I am sorry for being late, I had gone to Mirik to visit the family that has lost three members and also see for myself the condition of the relief camp in Mirik,” she stated in Sukhiapokhri.
