Has the North Bengal Disaster Situation Improved?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Situation stabilizing in North Bengal.
- No new casualties in the last 24 hours.
- Relief operations are accelerating.
- Weather forecasts predict no major rainfall.
- Chief Minister to update on relief efforts.
Kolkata, Oct 8 (NationPress) The conditions in the flood and landslide-hit areas of the hills, Terai, and Dooars in North Bengal have shown further signs of stabilization over the past 24 hours, with no new fatalities reported.
The absence of additional rainfall in the region has not only prevented further deterioration but has also expedited relief, rescue, and restoration efforts.
An official from the Darjeeling district administration, the most severely affected area, reported that while many roads have been repaired, the primary route connecting the hills to the plains remains non-communicable.
“Currently, alternative routes such as Tindharia Road and Pankhabari Road are being utilized for transporting tourists from the hills back to the plains. Most tourists have been successfully evacuated and are now safe in Siliguri,” stated the district administration representative.
Fortunately, weather predictions indicate no significant rain in any of the districts in North Bengal for the next 24 hours. However, light to moderate rainfall is expected in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar on Wednesday, with yellow alerts issued for these areas.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has spent the last two days reviewing the situation on the ground, is set to return to Kolkata this afternoon, where she will provide further updates on the government’s actions in the affected regions.
On Tuesday, the Chief Minister made a brief visit to a hospital in Siliguri to see BJP Lok Sabha member Khagen Murmu, who was injured during an attack by alleged Trinamool Congress activists in Bamundanga, Jalpaiguri district.
Ghosh, who was also admitted to the same facility, declined to meet the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Information Technology Cell Chief Amit Malviya criticized the Chief Minister’s visit as an attempt to garner publicity.
“It’s no surprise that this is another blatant effort by the Chief Minister to gain cheap publicity, especially following the violence perpetrated by mobs in Bamandanga, known for hosting illegal immigrants from Bangladesh,” Malviya remarked in a social media post.