Kolkata, 2 August (H.S.): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit the flood-affected areas of Paschim Medinipur and Hooghly districts on August 5 to assess the ground situation, a senior state official confirmed on Saturday.

The Chief Minister's visit is expected to cover severely impacted regions such as Ghatal and Chandrakona in Paschim Medinipur, and Arambagh in Hooghly. Following her inspection, she is likely to proceed to Jhargram. On the following day, Banerjee is slated to lead a rally in Jhargram commemorating the historic ‘Bhasha Andolan’ (Language Movement).

The state government has expressed deep concern over the worsening flood situation. State Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia stated that nearly 200,000 people have been affected in the Ghatal subdivision alone due to the recent deluge. He blamed the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in neighbouring Jharkhand for allegedly mismanaging water releases from its dams, which, he claimed, exacerbated the crisis.

Bhunia went on to say that the current flooding in Ghatal is the most severe since 1978.

The Chief Minister’s upcoming visit is seen as a crucial step in overseeing relief and rehabilitation efforts. District administrations have intensified preparations ahead of her arrival. Meanwhile, opposition parties have raised concerns over the lack of coordination between the DVC and the state government in managing the flood crisis.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh