Mamata calls all-party meeting to discuss flood situation

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today called for an all-party meeting on Saturday to discuss the present flood situation in the state, which has claimed 85 lives so far.
"It is being called on Saturday evening," Banerjee told reporters at state secretariat Nabanna in Howrah.
CPI(M) state secretary and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Surjya Kanta Mishra told PTI he was yet to receive any letter or official communication regarding the meeting.
"I have heard about it, but I am yet to receive any official communication," Mishra said.
Congress legislative party leader Md Sohrab said he too was yet to receive any official communication regarding the meeting.

The decision to hold an all-party meeting came after the Opposition parties criticised the relief work of the state government and demanded a meeting to discuss the situation.

The flood situation in West Bengal showed further improvement today on account of little or no rainfall since yesterday and a reduced quantity of water discharge from the barrages upstream, as the death toll rose to 85.
Two more deaths were reported today, taking the toll to 85, Disaster Management Department officials said.
"Altogether 2,546 relief camps have been set up to shelter over 4.56 lakh marooned people and nearly 667 medical camps were opened," the officials said, adding that the total number of affected people was nearly 63 lakh.

As many as 1,12,235 houses were damaged and 3,78,184 houses damaged partially. Crops over an area of 8,20,435 hectares have also been affected, they added.