Flood relief distribution through admin channels only: WB Min

Refuting allegations of partisan politics in flood relief distribution levelled by Opposition parties, West Bengal Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee today hailed the relief work by the government and said it was done using administrative channels only.
Mukherjee, who was speaking after an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the secretariat, said, "In the meeting the chief minister has said that never before relief work has been done so efficiently. The state government has made all efforts to reach out to the victims of the floods.
"All the relief material has been distributed through DMs, SPs and BDOs," he said, adding the government has agreed to convene another all-party meeting on August 18 at the secretariat following demands by political parties.

He said about 100 people had lost their life in the flood in south Bengal and the situation arising out of it is presently under control.
The calamity had affected 235 blocks, 55 municipal areas, four municipal corporations and 814 gram panchayats covering 19,939 villages, he added.
Leader of the Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra, along with other leaders of other Opposition parties, have demanded that an all-party team with administrative officials be sent to the affected districts to access the ground level situation.

"We didn't get any specific reply on this demand. We have demanded that the money claimed by the state government to have been spent on flood relief be made public-district-wise and sector-wise. We have said that people should know how much money has been spent," Mishra said.

Mukherjee, referring to the all-party team at the district level, said the chief minister had told in the meeting that it could discussed later.
"First let the relief work be done," he quoted Banerjee.
CLP leader Mohammed Soharab condemned the alleged "indifferent attitude" of the Centre towards the floods in Bengal.
"We (Congress) have told the state government to increase relief materials and also see that loans of farmers are waived as they have lost their corps," Sohrab told PTI.
He said modernisation of Damodar Valley Corpoartion should be taken up with the Centre.
Representatives of BJP, SUCI(C) and GJM were also present in the meeting.