State to send team to visit North Bengal to assess damage, arrange for relief

Kolkata: The Bengal government will send a team to North Bengal to ascertain the extent of damages caused due to natural calamity.

Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi held a meeting with Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) chairperson Anit Thapa at Nabanna discussing several issues related to the disaster-hit North Bengal. The meeting between the Dwivedi and GTA chairperson started at around 11 am. Later, the chief secretary facilitated a telephonic conversation between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the GTA chairperson.

Thapa complained to Mamata that the Centre has not given any funds for Kalimpong which suffered devastation whereas the neighbouring Sikkim was assured funds of Rs 45 crore by the Narendra Modi government.

Banerjee assured Thapa that the state government would extend all possible help to the GTA to tide over the crisis.

It was decided that a special team would be sent to the Hills to assess the situation. Thapa later told the media: “Centre has allotted funds for Sikkim. Then why they will not provide funds for Kalimpong? We are also a part of India. We have a BJP MP from this constituency. Why will there be a step-motherly attitude by the Centre.”

Thapa, a couple of months ago, met Banerjee at the state Assembly and handed over a memorandum, demanding funds for the development of the GTA area. They discussed various issues related to the development of the hills, including the ICDS scheme.