CM asks to step up relief measures in Midnapore

Midnapore, Jun 20 (UNI) Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya today instructed officials to step up flood relief measures in East and West Midnapore districts and announced Rs one crore more for Sabang and Narayangarh, the worst affected, besides Rs 6 crores allotted yesterday.

The Chief Minister held a meeting with representatives of political parties and senior government officials in Kolaghat Circuit House this morning.

Quoting district authorities, he said 15 people had died in West Midnapur district and 10 in East Midnapur in the floods so far and 23 lakh people in 31 blocks of the two districts have been affected in the flash floods.

He informed that two companies of Army in West Midnapur district and one in East Midnapur have been pressed into service and four Air Force helicopters have been engaged in rescuing the marooned.

Mr Bhattacharyya said 2.5 lakh people have been rescued so far and housed in 144 relief camps.

The Health Department was been instructed to arrange adequate medicines for snake bite cases in presence of state health minister Suryyakanta Mishra.

Trinamool Congress, however, preferred to remain absent in the meeting while most of the other political parties were vociferous in criticizing the district administrations as they felt relief distribution was inadequate.

UNI XC KK KLC1452