MAMATA TO VISIT AFFECTED AREAS

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will visit the cyclone-hit areas on May 28, along with chief secretary Alapan Bandhopadhyay, officials said on Wednesday. Very severe cyclone Yaas, after making its landfall in 20 km south of Balasore, had brought severe destruction in both Odisha and West Bengal.

Monitoring the condition herself from the control room in West Bengal state secretariat, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said a 3-member team will conduct an aerial visit to the affected places in East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas on May 28 to ascertain the real damages that the severe cyclone has caused.

“Since the weather will not be conducive on May 27, the team, including Alapan Bandhopadhyay and I, through helicopter will visit Hingalganj and Sagar Island and after taking stock of the situation will hold a review meeting at Digha on May 28. On May 29, we will visit Digha, Mandarmoni and Nandigram,” said the CM.

Addressing the media, Mamata said according to primary reports at least 3 lakh houses damaged and cultivable land was damaged due to seeping of seawater.

“At least 1 crore people have been affected and 3 lakh houses damaged due to very rough weather conditions. 15,04,506 people have been evacuated and kept in safety. According to primary reports, 154 dams have been damaged, the number is likely to increase,” said Mamata, asking the officials to keep medicines of waterborne diseases ready. The CM said a man was ‘accidentally’ killed as he had gone out for fishing and she would get the actual estimate of the damages in 72 hours.

Notably, 17 companies of the army have been deployed and Indian Navy has been kept on standby to help the state, if needed.