Essential services largely restored, seek people's cooperation to return to normalcy: Mamata

Contending that 80 per cent of all essential services have been restored in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday sought cooperation of people for bringing the cyclone-hit state back on its foot.

The CM also thanked state government employees and policemen who along with the Army, the NDRF, the SDRF and the Odisha disaster management personnel have been "working round the clock to return to normalcy, reconstruct infrastructure, and maintain order and peace".

"Important services have been restored in most urban areas. The rest will also have access to all facilities soon. All major hospitals, water treatment plants, water supply units, irrigation and drainage pumping facilities, power sub stations have been made operational. I seek cooperation of one and all in this battle," Banerjee said in a statement released by the Chief Minister's Office on Monday.

Protests over power and water supply disruption have been raging on in several parts of the city and its neighbourhood over the last four to five days.

Banerjee had earlier urged people to have patience, and said the administration was working tirelessly to put lives back on track.

Apart from 15,000 officials of the Power department, 30 teams of the National Disaster Response Force, 41 teams of the State Disaster Response Force and the Disaster Management Group and 35 teams of fire services, the state has also deployed 1,25,000 police officers to bring the situation to normal, she said.

"I salute lakhs of state government employees and policemen who are working round the clock in the field (hand- in-hand with the personnel of the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Odisha government) to restore power and water supply, clear roads, provide relief, reconstruct infrastructure, and keep order and peace in vast stretches.

"I congratulate them for restoring 80 per cent of the essential services post Bengal's grimmest disaster ever," she said.