The chief minister who visited the Mercy Fellowship Church in Jalpaiguri, said the administration is monitoring the situation in the storm-affected area and has discussed steps to be taken ahead as part of the relief programme.
“Five thousand houses have been destroyed in Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar due to the storm. Some houses were completely destroyed, some houses have been partially destroyed while others sustained minor injury. All three districts were discussed at the administrative level. Several agricultural lands have also been destroyed. The administration will look into it,” Banerjee told mediapersons.
On Monday, the CM met the families affected by a heavy storm in Jalpaiguri, leaving at least five persons dead, and issued directions to the district administration to conduct a survey on the damages to property. The number of those injured reached more than 100 and nearly 200 people have been rendered homeless, officials said. Several hutments and houses were damaged, trees uprooted and electric poles were destroyed due to strong winds accompanied by hail. Addressing the media outside the Jalpaiguri district hospital, the CM on Sunday night had said, “The administration must stand by people in this hour of need.”
Banerjee also targeted the Centre over the situation of the tea garden workers in North Bengal on Tuesday. She said that tea garden workers are facing problems as companies are no longer buying their tea leaves. “Today, I got to know that about 10,000 lakh workers associated with the tea garden estates are facing issues as the companies are no longer buying their tea leaves, saying it has pesticides. This has been done just close to the elections. People might recall that last time PM Modi had said that he would inaugurate six tea estates. Is this happening right now?” the CM said.
She lashed out at the BJP government at the Centre for not taking jute from Bengal, saying, “… I came to know that a decision had been taken stating they would not take jute anymore. Bengal is first in terms of jute production and we are 100% in favour of jute bags, we use jute on roads too. I urge jute workers, owners to work.”
Meanwhile, the Sunday storm has triggered a political slugfest with BJP accusing TMC leaders of profiteering from relief materials, igniting a verbal confrontation between parties.
CM Banerjee who addressed the Modi government, as “a Jumla Government” said, “I thought I would not say it but this is a jumla government. BJP has never stood by people in times of need and disaster. Even yesterday, the Centre had a meeting with the RBI. Where is the impartiality here? Impartial election means that democracy must get justice and justice for all. We don’t do partiality with any kind of relief. Our government is humanitarian. How did the Prime Minister ask his karyakartas to go and give money? I didn’t ask my Party workers to do anything like this.”
Attacking the TMC government over the crisis in Jalpaiguri, BJP accused them of taking advantage of the situation. Senior BJP leader and MP Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday claimed that “TMC leaders are happy that the storm has struck Jalpaiguri before the elections, as they can profit from the distribution of relief materials.” “We have seen this earlier during Cyclones Amphan, Hudhud, how local TMC leaders have made crores of rupees from relief materials distributed by the state government. This time too, they will make money out of it,” he further said.
“When people face disaster it is a boon for TMC . We have seen the phases after Cyclones Amphan, Fani. Relief funds are released during such calamities, but a section of TMC workers loot the money,” said BJP state general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay at a press conference on Tuesday.
The remarks drew sharp reactions from the TMC, which alleged that BJP was indulging in vulture politics ahead of elections. “The BJP is indulging in vulture politics using the deaths of people in a storm in Jalpaiguri,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.