Mamata visits flood-affected areas, distributes relief material
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Chief Minister directs leaders to visit Delhi and press for master plan to fight recurring disaster
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday visited the flood-affected regions of south Bengal and directed Ministers and public representatives to visit Delhi and impress on the Centre on the implementation of the mega flood-control project in south Bengal Ghatal Masterplan.
The Chief Minister took an aerial survey of the area, met the affected people and distributed relief material to them.
“I was coming from Jhargram and conducted an aerial survey. Everything is inundated. I will prepare a report. Ghatal is a low-lying area. We have time and again raised the issue of the master plan but the Centre has not sanctioned any funds,” she told journalists.
The Chief Minister targeted the Centre again saying “these were man-made floods” and unless the plan is implemented the region is likely to flood regularly.
“Despite raising these concerns multiple times, the Central government took no cognizance of the grave situation. The need of the hour is to solidify the master plan and act on it on an urgent basis,” she said on social media.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister had called the Chief Minister and enquired about the flood situation in south Bengal. Large areas of Paschim Medinipur, Howrah and Hooghly were flooded by the cumulative impact of the large amount of rainfall and discharge of water from the reservoirs of the Damodar Valley Corporation. The Chief Minister said Ministers Soumen Mahapatra and Manas Ranjan Bhuniya along with Ghatal MP Dev and TMC leader June Malia should meet the Union Minister for Irrigation and press for theplan.
“I am also sending two projects for the Sunderbands and Digha. Every alternate year due to the natural disasters these [Ghatal and adjoining] areas are affected.. Then there are cyclones Amphan and Yaas. We are trying to do as much as we can, but a proper plan has to be made,” she said, adding that regular natural disasters are posing a major challenge to the State.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said 16 people have lost lives due to floods in south Bengal. The Chief Minister said the administration will have to do more work in the flood-affected areas. She said ₹2 lakh will be given to the families who lost their kin in the floods.
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