Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has contacted home secretary Basudeb Banerjee from London to find out the current flood situation in the state. 

A meeting of the task force, which was formed by Banerjee to monitor the flood situation in West Bengal, was held at Nabanna for discussing measures to provide safe shelter to the flood victims and sending relief materials to flood affected areas.

It has been learnt that Mausam Bhawan from New Delhi has sent an alert to West Bengal regarding possibility of heavy rainfall till 31 July. 

“Basudeb Banerjee, who is the head of the task force, also spoke to district magistrates of several districts to take the current stock of the situation related to flood,” said a senior official of the state administration. Several districts in West Bengal are facing a flood-like situation. 

Several areas of Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Hooghly districts are currently affected by floods. Midnapore, Nadia, and 24- Parganas districts are also facing a flood-like situation. 

Rajib Banjeree, state irrigation and waterways minister however said that the situation is under control. Some rivers like Dwarka, Babla and Kuye are flowing above the danger level. However he expressed concern regarding more flood if more rainfall takes place. “We have all kinds of preparation and have started sending relief materials to the affected areas,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Murshidabad district today showed signs of improvement with water-levels receding in rivers like Dwarka, Mayurakshi etc. The administrative officials claimed that the inundated villages in Kandi and Jangipur sub-divisions could be evacuated to safety and sheltered in relief camps meant for flood victims. 

The district administration also supplemented villagers’ efforts of repairing broken dykes by providing sandbags and related logistics. 

Stretches of state highways which went under water also resurfaced today making way for transport to be partially restored. 

Disaster management groups have been pressed into service and the situation is now completely under control, officials here claimed. 

Former PCC chief Manas Bhunia on Monday asked the state government to expedite the rescue operation of the flood-marooned people and distribution of relief materials to the flood victims. “I’m appealing to the task force constituted by the chief minister to set up all party committees at the grass -root level to distribute relief materials to the flood victims,’ he said.