People's Democracy

WEST BENGAL

CPI(M), LF Swing Into Flood Relief

B Prasant

PERIODICAL sparkle of sunshine has brought little comfort to the vast number of people of south Bengal, affected by the rain-borne inundation, beyond perhaps a lessening of the overwhelming dampness surrounding them. The vast stretches of water bodies that have swept across and often over the rural areas are far from showing any sign of receding. 

Ponds and lakes are indistinguishable in the immensity of rushing water, muddy and smelly and dank, that has sliced out a few high spots on which the people linger isolated until they are rescued and taken to a relief camp.

Coping with the terrible aftermath of the fury of nature, the dedication of CPI(M) workers comes shining through. Round the clock, they man the relief stations and assist the state government in the task of running the relief camps.

Large and organised batches of CPI(M) workers are routinely engaged in carrying relief to the vast number of people yet marooned on high grounds, Nearly all of these are generally inaccessible due to the depth of water rushing across. 

Emphasis is given on food items, mostly dry food, and on emergency medicines and tarpaulins. In the relief camps cooked and hygienic food is being distributed in adequate quantities.

Hygiene is of prime necessity as the water recedes. Enteritis, gastritis and fever inevitably follow in the wake of the stench of rotten vegetation and dead animals. 

The team of doctors sent forth by the People’s Relief Committee is hard at work, advising the people in relief camps as well as on high grounds to avoid contamination to the extent possible. Potable water is being reached out in bottles of one and two litres.

The state Left Front government has sent out thousands of tonnes of relief material and the package includes bagfuls of rice, tarpaulin sheets, medicines, ropes and stakes, and it has pressed into service at least one hundred doctors. 

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and finance minister Asim Dasgupta are in constant touch with the latest situation in various areas about the ongoing relief work.

The flood has taken a terrible toll. According to very preliminary estimates, innumerable kutcha houses and mud huts have crumpled down across south Bengal in particular. More than 70 per cent of the post-monsoon aush paddy is simply gone. The death toll is, however, low thanks to the promptness and dedication CPI(M) workers involved in relief and rescue efforts. Until October 25, four persons had died, either swept away by flood or crushed under a collapsing structure. 

Field after green field of winter vegetables, including cauliflower and green cabbage and tomato, went deep under several metres of water when they were ripe for plucking and are all gone now. The total damage done by the inundation to crops could approach or even exceed Rs 300 crore. It will be some days before the full extent of the damage is known. (INN)