2.21 lakh hectare of crops damaged in Cyclone Yaas in Bengal, says Mamata
West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee on Monday said that the state has incurred atotal loss of more than Rs 20,000 crore due to Cyclone Yaaswhich battered the state last week and around 2.21 lakhhectare of crops were damaged.
The chief minister said that the state has openedaround 1200 relief camps in which 2 lakh odd people have takenshelter following the cyclone which made landfall inneighbouring Odisha on May 26.
“Around 2.21 lakh hectare of crops and 71,560 hectareof horticulture have been damaged in West Bengal by CycloneYaas. The state has incurred a total loss of more than Rs20,000 crore,” she told reporters at the secretariat.
Banerjee on May 28 submitted a report to PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on the damages caused by the cyclone,and sought a Rs 20,000-crore package for redevelopment of theworst-affected areas.
The Public Health Engineering Department has suppliedpiped and pouches of water to the affected villages, she said.
The chief minister said that repair works for 305embankments out of the 329 damaged ones have been started.
On the Duare Tran (Relief at doorstep) scheme, shesaid, “Only those who have been affected by the cyclone haveto apply in person. The camps (for the scheme) will be held inschools, colleges and other public buildings and not in wardoffices,” she said.
Banerjee also assured the people living near DeochaPachami coal block in Birbhum district that the stategovernment would not acquire any land from them unless theyare fully compensated.
With an estimated reserve of 2.1 billion tonnes,Deocha Pachami is the worlds second-largest coal block.
Allocated to West Bengal by the Centre in June 2018,the coal block has the potential to bring in investments tothe tune of Rs 12,000 crore over a period of time.
“We are not acquiring land from anybody at thismoment. The vacant land which the state government has will beused first. And if I need land, I want to assure my brothersand sisters of the scheduled tribe and caste there that itwill be taken only after they are fully compensated,” Banerjeesaid.
Banerjee assured local people that they need not worryas she will act as their custodian.
“In the first phase, we will not take any land fromyou. In the second phase, we will not forcibly acquire theland. We will only do that after providing you with a job,”she added.
Banerjee advised the people not to pay heed to anyinstigation.
“All will be employed. Do not fall into any trap. Iwas ready to sacrifice myself during my movement in Nandigramand Singur,” she said.
The state will be highly benefited once the project iscompleted, she said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)