E-Paper
Marginal improvement in Bengal flood situation
West Bengal Relief Minister Hafiz Alam Sairani has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 20,000 to the next of kin of those who died in the flood in the district.
There was marginal improvement in the flood situation in West Bengal as water levels of the rivers in Cooch Behar and Malda districts receded on Wednesday but the rivers were rising steadily in South Dinajpur district, even as the death toll in the floods rose to five, official sources said.
As the water levels of all the rivers in Cooch Behar district receded, the danger signals were withdrawn from Raidak I and Kaljani rivers at Tufanganj and Mansai river at Mathabhanga.
The death toll in the flood rose to five with one more death reported at Nakkatigachh village in Tufanganj block, block development officer (BDO) M Shamim said.
Public Health Engineering Minister Goutam Deb and Relief Minister Hafiz Alam Sairani visited Cooch Behar district on Tuesday and on Wednesday to review flood relief work.
In South Dinajpur district, the flood waters of river Tangan, Atreyee and Punarbhaha have already crossed the danger level and many wards of Balurghat, the district headquarters town, have been flooded by the waters of the Atreyee river.
Many areas of Kuahmandi block have also been submerged by the flood waters. District magistrate R Mutauddi said the situation is under control at present.
In Malda district, the red signal was still in force at unprotected stretch of river Fulahar despite the recession in water level in the past 24 hours, official sources said.
The fall of river's water level, by 11 cm in past 24 hours, however raised fears about rapid erosion of its bank between Ruhimari and Ajijtola areas, the sources added.
In Cooch Behar while reviewing the flood relief work West Bengal Relief Minister Hafiz Alam Sairani announced an ex-gratia of Rs 20,000 to the next of kin of those who died in the flood in the district.
Five persons had lost their lives in the flood in Cooch Behar district.
The Relief Minister also assured 'Food for Work' programme for the rural people, who became jobless during the floods.
He said till introduction of the 'Food for Work' programme, relief will be distributed among the flood affected people.
While reviewing the flood relief work in Cooch Behar, West Bengal Relief Minister Hafiz Alam Sairani tonight announced an ex-gratia of Rs 20,000 to the next of kin of those who died in the flood in the district.
