CM fires letter to PM for Rs 1,000-cr Aila relief

Meanwhile,the death toll in the cyclone touched 115 while over 50 lakh people are said to be affected. The state government has already sanctioned Rs 47 crore to provide succour to the victims.

This is the first time West Bengal has sent such a request to the Centre in recent times although it has been battered by floods several times in the past six to seven years.

For example,in the 2007-2008 floods,348 people died while about 10 lakh houses were damaged. The total loss ran to hundreds of crores of rupees.

On May 26,a day after the cyclone pounded the state,the Prime Minister called up Bhattacharjee and asked him whether he wanted any Central assistance. The chief minister told him he would ask for it if the need arose.

“The primary assessment indicates that 51 lakh people have been affected in several districts. The toll has already crossed 100. The numbers of fully and partly damaged houses has touched reached 2.49 lakh and 2.75 lakh,respectively… The total amount of relief and restoration expenditure to tackle this severe damage may exceed Rs 1,500 crore… a Central team of officials may be sent by you to visit the affected areas along with state government officials to assess the situation,” the chief minister has written.

A day after the calamity hit the state,Bhattacharjee went to Joynagar in South 24 Parganas,the worst-hit area by the cyclone,and had held meetings with the district administration officials to assess the situation. Later,he went to nearby Jamtala College,which has been turned into a relief camp,and met people sheltered there.