West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee likely to visit flood-hit Ghatal on Tuesday

MIDNAPORE/HOOGHLY: If the weather permits, chief minister Mamata Banerjee will on Tuesday visit Ghatal, West Midnapore, which remains inundated even as the water level has begun receding in other flood-hit areas such as Khanakul in Hooghly and Udaynarayanpur in Howrah.
Banerjee is expected to visit Jhargram on Monday to inaugurate the Adivasi Diwas programme at the local stadium. She is likely to hold a meeting with officials of West Midnapore and Jhargram districts, and then take a tour of Ghatal on Tuesday. This will be her maiden visit to the districts after being sworn in as Bengal’s CM for the third time on May 5.
West Midnapore DM Rashmi Kamal on Friday visited Ghatal and held a meeting with officials on relief distribution and compensation packages for loss of life and property. State irrigation minister Soumen Mahapatra too held a meeting at Midnapore circuit house and earlier handed over compensation cheques to kin of some of the deceased.
So far, 18 people have died in West Midnapore, with 28-year-old Bappa Rao Khan being the latest victim. He died of a snakebite in Panchkhuri on Thursday.
In Hooghly’s Khanakul and Goghat, the floodwater level is receding but villagers are facing acute drinking water crisis. District officials have requested the PHE department for water pouches.
Communication is a challenge too with most roads still underwater.
The Army and the NDRF, along with district officials, once again distributed dry ration in marooned areas of Khanakul. Leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari is likely to visit the area on Saturday.