Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 23 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday expressed grief over the deaths of people who lost their lives due to an electrocution incident following the cloudburst. CM added that she has never seen such rain.
CM stated, "I have never seen rain like this. I feel so bad for the people who have lost their lives in the cloudburst. I have told schools to give a holiday today, and even office-goers should not come to work. Even tomorrow, you should not come".
The Chief Minister said, "I heard 7-8 people have died due to electrocution. It is so unfortunate that people have lost their lives. Their families must all be given jobs by the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation Limited (CESC Ltd.), I am saying this clearly. We will also do whatever is possible to help. Even our houses are submerged; we are all suffering. I am feeling so bad for the Pujo pandals as well. Is this not the duty of the CESC to be more mindful? Electricity is supplied by CESC, not us. It is their duty to ensure people do not suffer because of this. They will do business here, but not modernize here? They should send people to the field and fix this."
CM Banerjee said that she was closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with the Police and the Chief Secretary.
"I am in constant touch with the Mayor, Chief Secretary, and the police. Farakka is not dredged properly, so every time it rains in Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand, Mumbai, Delhi, everywhere there is waterlogging. This time, the rain is slightly unusual".
Banerjee added, "More water will come. There will be more waterlogging. There is high tide in the Ganga river from Mahalaya. Where will we pump out the water? There is no place to go, it will again have to go to the Ganga only. Where will we send this water, it is full of Bihar and UP's water. I would implore all private sector workers to also not come to work, calamities affect all equally. The Centre has cut our money through GST, and all our funds are going to deal with these calamities", she added.
The Government of West Bengal's Education Department has declared school holidays due to the heavy rainfall forecast in the West Bengal for the next two days. Additionally, government-sponsored primary, upper primary, and higher secondary schools have also been requested to remain closed.
Meanwhile, operations at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were severely affected on Tuesday as bad weather led to the cancellation of 30 flights and delays to 42 others, according to a Kolkata Airport official. (ANI)