Govt working on war-footing to tackle flood in north Bengal

West Bengal government today said it is tackling on war footing the flood in north Bengal, where it has impacted five districts and inundated about 100 tea gardens.
"We have already opened control rooms and I am personally involved in monitoring and management. The state is working on a war-footing to tackle the flood situation in the region which is facing heavy rainfall," state irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee told PTI.
"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is monitoring the situation. All steps are being taken, including sending of relief materials," he said.
Coochbehar, North Dinajpur, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling are the five districts which have been affected by the flood.

State Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan had said yesterday that 58,000 people had been affected in Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar.
The government has opened 43 shelters in the affected districts and relief materials are being provided to those who have been temporarily displaced from their houses, he added.
About 100 tea gardens are reported to be affected across north Bengal in the flood and it is apprehended that tea production in the region will be less.
Last year, tea production in north Bengal except Darjeeling was around 315 million kg.