State reports significant progress in restoring normalcy ahead of CM’s North Bengal visit

Kolkata: Three days ahead of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s expected visit to north Bengal, the state secretariat at Nabanna in a statement on Saturday said that notable progress has been achieved in bringing normalcy back to the affected areas of north Bengal.

“In continuation of the massive restoration and relief operations undertaken over the last few days in the flood and landslide-affected districts of North Bengal, all district administrations, in close coordination with various departments, have been working tirelessly to ensure uninterrupted assistance to those in need,” reads the statement.

The assessment of damage to infrastructure, including dwelling houses and crops, is being carried out by the district administration to facilitate appropriate relief and compensation measures. Distribution camps, gruel kitchens, and temporary shelters continue to operate round the clock, providing essential supplies, food, and safe shelter to affected families. In addition, special outreach camps are being organised to assist residents who have lost important personal documents in the floods, ensuring prompt re-issuance through the concerned authorities, it stated further.

Special emphasis has been laid on reaching remote and inaccessible areas, such as Tabakoshi in the Sukhiapokhri Block amongst others, with outreach activities gaining significant momentum through coordinated efforts involving civil administration and disaster response teams. The Chief Minister Banerjee is likely to visit North Bengal again on Monday, with Darjeeling included in her itinerary. She is expected to oversee ongoing reconstruction and repair work on the ground and hold a high-level administrative meeting during the visit. Banerjee had rushed to north Bengal early this week after a disaster occurred there.

The process of clearing debris and rubble from affected sites is being undertaken on a priority basis, while disinfection of water bodies, ponds, and fishery areas has commenced to prevent any outbreak of waterborne diseases and to restore normal livelihood activities at the earliest.