Rain leaves 39 dead, 7 lakh affected : CM Mamata Banerjee

“It is the legitimate right of the people to get relief at such times of crisis… No one should ever think that a great service was being done to them. They are merely getting their legitimate dues,” Mamata said after a review meeting with her cabinet colleagues and secretaries at Nabanna.

“The months of June and July have recorded 60 per cent excess rainfall, of which July alone has recorded more than double the normal rainfall,” she added.

Stating that over 30,000 people were sheltered in around 700 relief camps in affected districts, she said: “High velocity storms have flattened hundreds of houses, rendering a large number of people homeless and injuring at least 12 people in three districts since Wednesday… So far, around seven lakh people have been affected… Over 10,000 houses were damaged fully and another 58,000 houses partially.”

Mamata, who cut short her London visit and returned to Kolkata on Thursday following the cyclone threat, earmarked responsibilities of all her cabinet colleagues and secretaries. “Since rain due to deep depression and high tides will still continue, I have asked my cabinet colleagues and the entire administration to be on alert,” she said.

On whether Centre would be asked to declare it as natural calamity, the CM said: “Such expenses come from the National Disaster Relief Fund and State Disaster Relief Fund. Also, we are yet to assess the extent of total loss and damages, which will definitely be huge.”

Mamata also cautioned that there should not be any politics in relief works. “My experience says during such hours of crisis, some people create problems. We should stand beside those affected and any politics in relief works will never be allowed to take place,” she said.

The CM also asked officials to ensure that release of water from different barrages due to heavy rains in high catchment area is controlled and done with prior notice to locals. The departments concerned have also been asked to arrange for restoration of national highways, state highways, rural roads, electricity line and other infrastructure as soon as water recedes.

Officials have been asked to send reports of loss and damages as assessed on a daily basis to the Centre, Mamata said, adding that a complete report on loss and damages will be sent to the Union government after the situation is restored and assessment completed.

Over one lakh hectare crop area in Howrah, Nadia, Birbhum, West Midnapore and Burdwan were also damaged, Disaster Management department officials said. Adequate relief materials have also been sent to all affected districts, the officials added.

(With inputs from PTI)