After Sikkim, flood situation worsens in north Bengal parts

Kolkata: After the deluge in Sikkim, the flood situation has started worsening in different pockets of northern West Bengal with the worst affected being Darjeeling and Kalimpong in the hills and Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar in the plains of Terai and Dooars regions.

The situation was reported to be critical in three other districts in north Bengal, namely North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Cooch Behar districts, as the Teesta River started swelling following flash floods in the hills of neighbouring Sikkim.

Three floating bodies, including that of a woman, have been recovered at Gajadoba area in Jalpaiguri district since Wednesday night.

The administration was not sure whether the bodies were that of a local or had been carried by flowing flood-water from the hills.

Flood situation at Gajoldoba worsened as the lock-gates of the barrage there had to be opened to release the heavy rush of water there.

Parts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts in the hills of north Bengal have been totally disconnected from the mainland following the alarming flood-situation. The rescue team have so far rescued over 5,000 persons from these pockets.

On Thursday morning, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose reached North Bengal to review the flood situation there. Curtailing his programmes outside the state he reached the Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri in North Bengal and from the airport he directly went to the different flood- affected spots.

While speaking to the media persons, the Governor also reacted to the comments from the state irrigation Minister Partha Bhowmik where the latter described the Governor as a “tourist” to north Bengal.

“Yes he is right that I am a tourist. I wish some of my junior appointees in the state cabinet could accompany me as tourists here,” said the Governor.

Trinamool Congress leadership has also claimed that the Governor’s visit to North Bengal on Thursday was not coincidental considering that the party is organising a ‘March to Raj Bhavan’ agitation in Kolkata against the action of Delhi Police on the elected representatives of Trinamool Congress at Krishi Bhavan in Delhi on Tuesday evening.

IANS