Bengal landslide: Relief ops in full swing, over Rs 3 crore disbursed so far

Kolkata, Oct 9 (PTI) The West Bengal government on Thursday said it has disbursed over Rs 3 crore as immediate relief in the flood and landslide-affected areas in the northern part of the state.

In a statement, the administration also said that it has sanctioned Rs 1.6 crore as ex-gratia for families who lost members in last week's natural calamity that has left at least 32 dead and thousands displaced.

The state has supplied around three lakh tarpaulin sheets and 4.5 lakh garment sets and distributed over 15,000 disaster kits containing basic articles to affected areas, the statement said.

More than 10,000 people are currently sheltered in 35 relief camps, while 45 kitchens have been set up to serve cooked meals to them.

Crop loss has emerged as a major concern across the flood-affected villages. An assessment is currently underway, and farmers have been encouraged to apply for compensation under the Bangla Shasya Bima Yojna at special outreach camps, the statement said.

"To maintain the supply of essentials and prevent price spikes, 29 additional Sufal Bangla outlets have been opened in the affected districts alongside the 100 existing ones. These are selling vegetables, grains, and other perishables at subsidised rates," it said.

Senior state officials have been camping in the affected districts to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Panchayats and Rural Development Minister Dr Pradip Mazumdar recently visited Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, where he met farmers and distributed agricultural inputs, including high-yielding seeds, lentils, pesticides, fungicides, and micronutrients, the statement said.

Restoration of damaged infrastructure is also underway. A temporary bamboo bridge has been constructed at Kullapara in Dhupguri to restore immediate access, while work on a permanent bridge at Dudhia is in progress.

Special government camps have been organised to help residents retrieve lost documents and certificates. Schoolchildren have been provided with books, notebooks, and study materials to help resume their education with minimal disruption, according to the statement.

Departments including PWD, PHE, Health, Power, Irrigation, Forest, and ARD are jointly assessing losses and offering emergency assistance, including for damaged plantations and livestock.

Round-the-clock control rooms have been set up at the state, district, sub-division, and block levels to monitor the evolving situation and ensure a timely response.

Though the immediate threat of rain has passed, officials said that the scale of the damage will require sustained intervention in the weeks ahead.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been closely monitoring the situation and visited the affected areas earlier this week. She met with displaced families and held on-ground reviews of rescue and relief operations," the statement said. PTI SCH NN