The Hindu Business Line : Bengal flood situation better, toll mounts to 27

KOLKATA: The flood situation in the East and West Midnapore districts of West Bengal on Saturday showed a slight improvement even as the death toll mounted to 27 and a population of 27 lakh remained affected.

"It is reassuring to know that the water level in most rivers is receding. The met office predicts small rainfall and only if it rains heavily will the water increase,'' Relief Minister Murtaza Hossain told newsmen after reviewing the situation with Civi l Defence Minister Srikumar Mukherjee and Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb.

Stating that the death toll stood at 27 now, he said 27 lakh people of 7,810 villages across 32 blocks were affected. Altogether four lakh people were sheltered in 1.136 relief camps in the two districts. With the situation improving, air-dropping of fo od has been discontinued since Friday as most of the areas could be reached by boats.

Four companies of the Army, however, were still working in relief and rescue operations, he said. Besides, the 32 mechanised boats active in the area, one boat each has been kept on standby in three police stations of the two affected districts, the Civ il Defence Minister said.

Altogether 221 medical teams are working in the affected areas, Hossain said, adding that 10 lakh pieces of halogen tablets, 40,000 packets of ORS and 170 vials of anti-venom serum and 1.55 lakh water pouches have been distributed.

On reports that elected people's representatives were not being involved in relief operations, the Chief Secretary said that since panchayat boards have not been formed in the affected areas, it was the government's conscious decision to organise relief and rescue through district administration. - PTI

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