Category Archives: West Bengal

Regional, West Bengal

It came, rampaged, and went: Remal claims seven lives in Bengal, swamps city, uproots over 400 trees

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At least seven people died across south Bengal, including a father in Entally, hit by a falling piece of cornice as he stepped out to look for his son, who was at a friend’s place to watch the IPL final
Overhead cables being restored on a waterlogged Camac Street on Monday after Cyclone Remal had caused widespread destruction in the city: Bishwarup Dutta.

Debraj Mitra, TT, Calcutta, 28.05.24 : 

Cyclone Remal struck Calcutta at 91km an hour and brought up to 260mm of rain in 24 hours.

If you are wondering how much 260mm of rain means, here is a sample. Data from over 30 years say the average rainfall that Calcutta receives in May is around 120mm. In Calcutta’s rainiest month, July, the average monthly rainfall is around 370mm.
The downpour triggered a deluge and the gusts of wind brought down over 400 trees in just Calcutta and its neighbourhood.

At least seven people died across south Bengal, including a father in Entally, hit by a falling piece of cornice as he stepped out to look for his son, who was at a friend’s place to watch the IPL final.

A father and son died of electrocution in Memari, East Burdwan. An 80-year-old woman died inside her home on Mousuni Island in South-24 Parganas when a tree crashed on the house. Two more died of electrocution, at Panihati in North 24-Parganas and Maheshtala in South 24-Parganas. The seventh death was reported from Haldia.

Many parts of Calcutta faced power cuts between Sunday night and the early hours of Monday as the rain and winds peaked.

Metro services were crippl­ed till Monday afternoon as the overnight rain flooded Park Street and Esplanade stations.

Remal started making landfall — as a severe cyclonic storm — in the Sunderbans in Bangladesh around 8.30pm on Sunday. The storm was around 25km from the tip of the Indian Sunderbans, 110km from Canning and approximately 140km from Calcutta. The Sunderbans are spread over roughly 10,000sqkm, of which around 4,000sqkm are in India and the rest in Bangladesh.

Coordinates shared by the Met office suggest the point of landfall was Mandarbaria, a coastal pocket in Satkhira district of Bangladesh. It is 130km south-southwest of Mongla port in Bagerhat district of Bangladesh.

The core of the storm entered land between 10.30pm on Sunday and 12.30am on Monday, unleashing winds at 110kmph to 120kmph, with gusts clocking 135kmph.

The raging winds, storm surge and blinding rain breached several embankments and flattened homes, poles and trees in the coastal pockets of South-24 Parganas and North-24 Parganas.
A tree uprooted on Cathedral Road near the Birla Planetarium on Monday afternoon.: Bishwarup Dutta

By Monday morning, Remal had weakened from a severe cyclonic storm to a cyclone. The northward movement brought it closer to south Bengal and, around 5.30am, it was 70km northeast of Canning. Around 8.30am, Remal was 90km east of Calcutta, the closest it came to the city.

“By then, it had weakened into a cyclone. The maximum impact in Calcutta and neighbouring areas was between 11.30pm and 4.30am, when it was a severe cyclonic storm,” said H.R. Biswas, head of the weather section at the Regional Meteorological Centre, Calcutta.

The Met office recorded a maximum wind speed of 74kmph in Alipore around 12.45am. In Dum Dum, the maximum recorded wind speed was 91kmph around 12.15am.

Between 1pm on Sunday and 1pm on Monday, Ballygunge received 264mm of rain, Taratala got 206mm and Behala recorded 204mm, according to the readings at the booster pumping stations of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

The Met office recorded 190mm of rain in Alipore between 8.30pm on Sunday and 8.30pm on Monday. Alipore serves as the official record keeper for Calcutta. When Cyclone Amphan struck Calcutta on May 20, 2020, Alipore recorded 250mm of rain and windspeeds of over 100km an hour for several hours. Amphan had made landfall on Sagar Island, around 100km from Calcutta.

The rain brought by Remal continued well into Monday. The effect was visible in the fallen trees and branches, tilted poles and roads with knee-deep water.

Cyclone Remal is likely to move north-northeastwards and gradually weaken further into a deep depression by Tuesday morning.

The rain in Calcutta subsided in the evening, with the system around 150km from the city around 7.30pm.

The weather in Calcutta is likely to improve on Tuesday morning. But north Bengal is going to get drenched as the remnants of Remal move northeast. “On Tuesday, heavy (60mm and more) to very heavy rainfall (120mm and more) is likely in the districts of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar. Heavy rain is likely in Darjeeling and Kalimpong,” said Somenath Dutta, deputy director-general at the India Meteorological Department, Calcutta. Scattered rainfall is expected in south Bengal, he added.
National, West Bengal

Flight operations at Kolkata airport resume after 21 hrs, several flights diverted

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MP, 28 May 2024, Kolkata: After remaining suspended for 21 hours due to Cyclone Remal, flight operations at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport, Kolkata resumed on Monday morning. 

The airport authorities wrote on its social media handle: “Flight operations resumed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata at 08:59 hrs, after it was closed for flight operation yesterday in view of Cyclone Remal.” 
The first flight to depart on Monday was IndiGo’s Kolkata-Port Blair flight at 8.59 am while the first one to land in Kolkata was SpiceJet’s flight from Guwahati. It landed at 09.50 am, an Airports Authority of India (AAI) top official said. 
According to information shared by the airport officials, there were about nine flight diversions. Three Air India Kolkata bound flights were diverted to Varanasi, Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati. The authorities of Kolkata airport have decided to suspend flight operations for 21 hours from Sunday noon in view of the possible impact of cyclone Remal. 
The authorities had suspended flight operations for 21 hours from Sunday noon in view of the possible impact of cyclone Remal. 
On May 26, about 394 flights that were scheduled for arrival or departure, including domestic and international flights, were suspended from Sunday noon to Monday 9 am. This included 170 domestic tentative departures and 26 international tentative arrivals. 
According to the information shared by Kolkata airport, from 9 am to 3:30 pm on May 27, the total number of domestic flights in both arrival and departure was 77. 
The total number of international flights in both arrival and departure was 9. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/flight-operations-at-kolkata-airport-resume-after-21-hrs-several-flights-diverted-565549?infinitescroll=1
National, West Bengal

Cyclone Remal: 24 blocks affected, nearly 15,000 houses damaged in Bengal

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PTI, Kolkata, May 27, 2024 :  Nearly 15,000 houses in 24 blocks and 79 municipal wards, mostly in the southern coastal areas of West Bengal, were affected by Cyclone Remal, a senior official of the state government said on Monday.


At least 2,140 trees were uprooted in different parts of the state which also witnessed the falling of 337 electric poles, he added.

According to the initial evaluation, at least 14,941 houses were damaged, out of which 13,938 were partially affected while 1,003 were destroyed, he said.

“The figures will probably increase after another round of evaluation. Our officials in the districts are working and the process of evaluation is still on. The estimation of the damage is being calculated,” the official told PTI.


The administration had shifted 2,07,060 people to the 1,438 safe shelters, he said, adding that at the moment there are 77,288 people.

“There are 341 gruel kitchens being operated at the moment. We have distributed 17,738 tarpaulin to the affected people in the coastal and low-lying areas,” he said.

The affected areas included Kakdwip, Namkhana, Sagard Island, Diamond Harbour, Fraserganj, Bakkhali and Mandarmani.

At least two persons were killed in West Bengal and its coastal areas suffered extensive damage to infrastructure and property, as Cyclone Remal tore through the state and neighbouring Bangladesh with winds speeds reaching 135 km per hour, officials said.
National, Politics, West Bengal

SC refuses to entertain BJP’s plea againstCalcutta HC order on ads during LS polls

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PTI & Agencies, New Delhi, May 27, 2024 : The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by the BJP challenging a Calcutta High Court order that had refused to interfere with a single-judge verdict restraining the party from issuing advertisements that are allegedly violative of the model code during the Lok Sabha polls.


A vacation bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and K V Viswanathan refused to interfere with the high court order.

“Prima facie, the advertisement is disparaging,” the bench said.

Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the BJP, sought permission to withdraw the matter after the bench expressed disinclination to entertain the matter.

The matter was dismissed as withdrawn.

On May 22, a division bench of the high court had said it was not inclined to entertain the appeal against the interim order passed by the single-judge bench.

The single-judge bench on May 20 had restrained the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from publishing advertisements that violated the MCC until June 4, the day the Lok Sabha poll results are scheduled to be declared.

The court had also restrained the saffron party from publishing the advertisements mentioned by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, in its petition claiming unverified allegations against it and its workers.

The two-judge bench of the HC, headed by the Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, refusing to grant any relief to the BJP, directed that the party should not to publish any advertisement violating the MCC during the Lok Sabha election process.

While refusing to interfere to the single-judge bench order, the two-judge bench had observed that all political parties needed to follow healthy electoral practices, as the ultimate victim of misleading electoral campaigns was the voter.

The division bench also observed that a “Laxman Rekha” should be adhered to, and added that there should not be any personal attack on the part of any political party.

The order had been passed by the single-judge bench, after hearing a petition filed by TMC to restrain the BJP from carrying such ads. The TMC had objected to certain ads published by the BJP in certain newspapers against the Mamata Banerjee- led party.

This single-judge order was challenged by the BJP in the two-judge bench of the HC, which also refused to entertain BJP’s prayers on May 22.

A vacation bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and K V Viswanathan refused to interfere with the high court order.

“We have seen the advertisements. Prima Facie, the advertisements are disparaging. We don’t want to lend our hands to promote further acrimony,” the two-judge vacation bench of the top court, led by Justice J K Maheshwari and Justice KV Viswanathan said.

The top court further remarked that such ads will not help the voter. It asked senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the appellant party (BJP) not to precipitate the matter, saying the advertisement was not in the interest of voters and the rival party was not your enemy.

After hearing these remarks and observations from the top court, Patwalia then preferred to withdraw the petition, saying he would prefer to file a reply before the High Court’s single judge bench which passed the interim order.

Earlier on, May 24, mentioning the matter before the two-judge vacation bench of the top court, led by Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal, senior advocate Saurabh Mishra, for the BJP, sought urgent hearing into the case.

The judges of the top court, did not fix any date to hear the case, but said, “We will see it.”

Initially, on May 20, the Calcutta HC’s single-judge bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, in its order had restrained the BJP from publishing such ads until further orders, after finding the advertisements in question to be in violation of the MCC.

Justice Bhattacharyya, in his order, had also pulled up the Election Commission of India (ECI) for “grossly failing” to address the complaints filed by the TMC against BJP advertisements that targeted the ruling party in West Bengal.
National, Regional, West Bengal

Remal devastates southern coast of state, claims 3 lives

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Flight and suburban rail services resume after temporary suspension 

PTI, Kolkata, May 27, 2024 : Nearly 15,000 houses in 24 blocks and 79 municipal wards, mostly in the southern coastal areas of West Bengal, were affected by Cyclone Remal, a senior official of the state government said on Monday. 

At least 2,140 trees were uprooted in different parts of the state which also witnessed the falling of 337 electric poles, he added. According to the initial evaluation, at least 14,941 houses were damaged, out of which 13,938 were partially affected while 1,003 were destroyed, he said. 
“The figures will probably increase after another round of evaluation. Our officials in the districts are working and the process of evaluation is still on. The estimation of the damage is being calculated,” the official told newspersons. 
The administration had shifted 2,07,060 people to the 1,438 safe shelters, he said, adding that at the moment there are 77,288 people. 
“There are 341 gruel kitchens being operated at the moment. We have distributed 17,738 tarpaulin to the affected people in the coastal and low-lying areas,” he said. The affected areas included Kakdwip, Namkhana, Sagard Island, Diamond Harbour, Fraserganj, Bakkhali and Mandarmani. 
At least three persons were killed in West Bengal and its coastal areas suffered extensive damage to infrastructure and property, as Cyclone Remal tore through the state and neighbouring Bangladesh with winds speeds reaching 135 km per hour, officials said. One person died and two others were injured in Kolkata following heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Remal that pummelled the coasts of West Bengal and neighbouring Bangladesh with devastating wind speeds, officials said on Monday. 

A man died of his injuries when a wall collapsed due to relentless downpour on Sunday at the Bibir Bagan area of Entally in central Kolkata, a state disaster management official said. Two others suffered injuries in Maniktala area after the cyclone struck, though the exact cause is yet to be known, he said. 
Kolkata recorded 150-mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am, while neighbouring Salt Lake received 110-mm rain during the period. Tarakeswar in Hooghly received the highest amount of rainfall in south Bengal at 300 mm, the Met office said. Vehicular traffic movement was disrupted in several pockets of Kolkata since Monday morning, the first working day of the week, as trees lay uprooted and streets overflowed with water on account of the incessant rain the cyclonic system brought over the city. Reports of uprooting of trees were received from Southern Avenue, Lake Place, Chetla, D L Khan Road, Dufferin Road, Ballygunge Road, New Alipore, Behala, Jadavpur, Golpark, Hatibagan, Jagat Mukherjee Park and College Street, as well as the city’s adjoining Salt Lake area, the officials said. 
Around 68 trees were uprooted in Kolkata, and another 75 in nearby Salt Lake and Rajarhat area. “Water-logging was reported from various places including Southern Avenue, Lake View Road, Pratapaditya Road, Tollygunge Phari, Alipore and Central Avenue, resulting in traffic diversion,” a senior officer of Kolkata Traffic Police said. 
Major arterial roads like Central Avenue and College Street in central Kolkata and pockets of Ballygunge, Dhakuria and Behala in the south continued to remain waterlogged during the later part of the day as well. 

Meanwhile, train services in the Sealdah South section of Eastern Railway resumed at 9 am after remaining suspended for three hours in the morning, an ER official said. 
Flight services from the Kolkata airport also resumed on Monday morning after being suspended for 21 hours in view of the cyclone, a senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said. Metro Railway services in the north-south corridor were disrupted in parts for four-and-a-half hours on Monday morning. 
Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the municipal corporation was trying to address the situation on war footing. “The situation is not that worse compared to what it was when Cyclone Amphan hit. 
The trees are being removed to make way for traffic. The drainage pumps are also operating at full strength,” Hakim told PTI. Salt Lake Mayor Krishna Chakraborty said the uprooted trees have been removed and roads are clear for traffic movement. 
Meanwhile, Governor C V Ananda Bose said in a message issued by the Raj Bhavan: 
“We are all greatly relieved that no reported casualty is there. Cyclone Remal is weakening. The people of Bengal are able to brave it with courage. We are keeping a watch on the situation. If there is any need, Raj Bhavan’s doors are open for all.” 
The Governor has also constituted a task force at the Raj Bhavan.
Regional, West Bengal

Two die as Cyclone Remal ravages parts of West Bengal, heavy rain to continue

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 While several pockets of Calcutta remained waterlogged on the morning of the first working day of the week, suburban train services from the Sealdah terminal station remained partially suspended for at least three hours, adding to commuters’ woes, before operations limped back to normal
Commuters wade through a waterlogged road amid rains in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal’s landfall, in Calcutta, Monday, May 27, 2024.: PTI

PTI, Calcutta, 27.05.24 : At least two persons died in West Bengal and its coastal areas suffered extensive damage to infrastructure and property, as Cyclone Remal tore through the state and neighbouring Bangladesh with winds speeds reaching 135 km per hour, officials said Monday. A man died of his injuries when a wall collapsed due to the relentless downpour on Sunday evening at the Bibir Bagan area of Entally in Central Calcutta, a state disaster management official said.

An eldery woman in the Mousuni Island near Namkhana adjacent to the Sunderbans delta also succumbed to injuries on Monday morning, following a tree collapse on her hut that resulted in the roof caving in, the official said.

After tearing through the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal, Cyclone Remal left a trail of destruction with pictures of devastation becoming evident across the state’s coastal areas, with extensive damage to infrastructure and property, soon after daybreak on Monday.

Roofs of thatched huts were blown away, uprooted trees blocked roads in Calcutta as well as in the coastal districts, and electricity poles were knocked down causing significant power disruption in various parts of the state, including in the city’s outskirts, the officials said.

While several pockets of Calcutta remained waterlogged on the morning of the first working day of the week, suburban train services from the Sealdah terminal station remained partially suspended for at least three hours, adding to commuters’ woes, before operations limped back to normal.
A commuter at a railway station during rain in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal’s landfall, in Calcutta, Monday, May 27, 2024.: PTI
Flight services at the Calcutta airport resumed on Monday morning after remaining suspended for 21 hours in view of Cyclone Remal. Airport sources, however, said it will take some more time for the situation to become normal.

The cyclone ravaged adjacent coasts of the state and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near the southwest of Mongla in the neighbouring country, after its landfall process began at 8.30 pm on Sunday and lasted for a good four hours.

In a later update, the Met office said ‘Remal’ weakened into a cyclonic storm at 5:30 am on Monday, about 70 km northeast of Canning and 30 km west-southwest of Mongla. The system is likely to gradually weaken further.

Efforts to restore normalcy are underway, with emergency services working to clear debris and restore power in the affected areas.

However, the relentless heavy rain is hampering these operations in most of the affected areas, the officials said.

The state government has initiated relief operations, providing food, drinking water and medical assistance to the people affected.

The authorities have urged residents to remain indoors and take necessary precaution till the heavy rain persists.

Calcutta recorded a rainfall of 146 mm in the period between 8.30 am on Sunday and 5.30 am on Monday, the weatherman said.

The metropolis logged a maximum wind speed of 74 kmph, while Dum Dum in the northern outskirts of the city recorded maximum wind speed of 91 kmph, the weather office said.

Several areas of Calcutta remained waterlogged, compounding the misery of the affected residents. Streets in significant pockets of Ballygunge, Park Circus, Dhakuria and Alipore in South Calcutta, Behala in the West and College Street, Thanthania Kali Bari, CR Avenue and Sinthi in the North remained inundated till late in the day.

Reports indicated that trees were uprooted in several areas, including Southern Avenue, Lake Place, Chetla, D L Khan Road, Dufferin Road, Ballygunge Road, New Alipore, Behala, Jadavpur, Golpark, Hatibagan, Jagat Mukherjee Park, College Street, and the adjoining Salt Lake area.

Around 68 trees were uprooted in Calcutta, with an additional 75 trees downed in the nearby Salt Lake and Rajarhat areas.

The cyclone caused rainfall with strong winds in areas such as Digha, Kakdwip and Jaynagar, which intensified on Monday morning.

Other places in south Bengal which received heavy rainfall during the period are Haldia (110 mm), Tamluk (70 mm) and Nimpith (70 mm), the Met office said.

The storm and accompanying heavy rain flooded homes and farmlands. In some regions, salt water from the adjoining Bay of Bengal breached embankments and gushed into farmlands, damaging crops.

The West Bengal government evacuated more than one lakh people from vulnerable areas ahead of the cyclone’s landfall.

The North and South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur districts reported widespread damage. News footage from the coastal resort town of Digha showed tidal waves crashing into a seawall, with surging waters sweeping fishing boats inland and inundating mud-and-thatch houses and farmlands.
People during a storm at the Bakkhali beach in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal’s landfall, in South 24 Parganas, Monday, May 27, 2024.: PTI
The weatherman has forecast more rain in Calcutta and the southern districts including Nadia and Murshidabad, with one or two spells of intense downpour, along with gusty surface winds till Tuesday morning.

State Power Minister Aroop Biswas said the disruptions and damage to the power supply infrastructure caused by Cyclone Remal will be addressed soon.

He noted that there had been one or two incidents of power outages in the CESC area, due to fallen trees.

A total of 14 National Disaster Response Force teams were deployed for relief and restoration work across districts in south Bengal, including Calcutta, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly.

Relief materials, including dry food and tarpaulins, have been dispatched to the coastal areas and quick response teams comprising trained civil defence volunteers and equipped vehicles are in place, the officials said.
Regional, West Bengal

Bengal forest department keeps CCTV eye on elephant movements in Kurseong division

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 In the Terai belt, elephant herds come out of forests located in Bagdogra and Naxalbari areas in search of fodder. The animals cross the four-lane highway and the railway tracks that connect Siliguri Junction with Naxalbari to move into tea gardens and villages for fodder
Wild elephants cross the railway tracks near Bagdogra.: File picture

TT, Jalpaiguri, 27.05.24 :  The Kurseong forest division of the state forest department has installed CCTV cameras across various locations of Siliguri subdivision to monitor the movement of elephants in rural areas under its ambit, on railway tracks and Asian Highway-II.

Elephant herds regularly walk up to the highway that connects Panitanki (at the India-Nepal border) with Fulbari (at the India-Bangladesh border).

“The cameras have been installed to track the movement of elephants and other wild animals in some parts of Kurseong forest division. In due course, such a mechanism will be introduced in other forest areas,” said Bhaskar J.V., the chief conservator of forests (wildlife), north Bengal.

In the Terai belt, elephant herds come out of forests located in Bagdogra and Naxalbari areas in search of fodder. The animals cross the four-lane highway and the railway tracks that connect Siliguri Junction with Naxalbari to move into tea gardens and villages for fodder.

“Over the past few years, incidents of elephant depredation have increased in Siliguri subdivision. Elephants have even moved into far-flung areas like Kharibari block. The installation of CCTV cameras along elephant corridors will help to check such incidents,” said Animesh Bose, a wildlife conservationist based in Siliguri.

The herds, which move out of forests of Bagdogra forest range, amble on the highway and enter human habitats like Ghoshpukur, Tukuriajhar, Uttamchand Chat and tea estates like Kiran Chandra and Atal.

“Because of elephant movements, traffic often gets halted on the highway. Also, there had been incidents of crop and property damage and even human casualty,” said a source.

With the CCTV cameras in place now, foresters can now have an idea about the movement of elephants from the control room opened at the range office in Bagdogra.

Along with the CCTV cameras, the department has also introduced the wireless radio telecommunication system in six forest ranges of the division to share information for prompt intervention.

The ranges are Bamanpokhri, Panighata, Bagdogra, Tukuriajhar, Ghoshpukur and the elephant squad at Taipoo.

“Usually, it takes 35 to 40 minutes for an elephant herd to reach the Asian Highway from the forests. Once their movement is tracked, all the range offices and our vehicles at these ranges can be informed of necessary steps,” said Bhupesh Biswakarma, the additional divisional forest officer of Kurseong.

The technology, he said, will be effective in curbing man-elephant conflicts. “The communication system will work even in locations without cell phone connectivity,” the forester added.

Elephant corridors apart, CCTV cameras have also been put up in Tipukhola, a popular ecotourism spot, and the Junglee Baba temple area where hundreds of people visit every day.

“For the safety of the visitors, the CCTV cameras will help us act promptly if elephants enter these locations,” Biswakarma added.
Economy, Regional, West Bengal

Tea workers’ union seeks MGNREGS safety net from Mamata Banerjee government

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In a letter to Mamata, the National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW), which is affiliated with Intuc, has said that workers of several tea estates of the Terai and the Dooars are not getting work for six days every week because of low yield in plantations hit by inclement weather
Tea workers at a garden in the Siliguri plains.: File picture

TT, Siliguri, 27.05.24 : The distress in north Bengal tea industry has prompted a leading tea trade union to write to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking jobs for tea workers under the 100 days’ work (MGNREGS) scheme.

In a letter to Mamata, the National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW), which is affiliated with Intuc, has said that workers of several tea estates of the Terai and the Dooars are not getting work for six days every week because of low yield in plantations hit by inclement weather.
Mani Kumar Darnal, the NUPW general secretary who sent the letter to Mamata, said several tea companies these days were engaging less number of workers every week.

“Workers are losing out on wages because of the ‘no work, no pay’ system. Many tea workers are the sole breadwinners in their families. That is why we have written to the chief minister to provide jobs under MGNREGS for workers so that they can at least this loss in their earnings can be compensated,” said Darnal.

Over three lakh workers serve in the tea estates of north Bengal.

As of now, a tea worker in Bengal earns ₹250 per day. Under the MGNREGS, the daily wage rate, after the Centre’s revision in March this year, is the same.

In his letter, Darnal said that the Bengal government should create one manday per hectare of tea plantation.

A trade union leader explained it. “This means that if a garden has 1,000 hectares of plantation area, 1,000 mandays (optimally) can be created. Tea workers can work under the scheme on rotation, which means a worker who has not been engaged in the garden today can work under the MGNREGS, and tomorrow, another worker can replace him depending on the situation. This will eventually help workers earn roughly the same amount every month,” the trade union leader said.

Jobs like land development, micro and minor irrigation work, watershed management and drainage, which are stipulated under the scheme, can begin in tea gardens, he said.

In the letter, NUPW leader Darnal also said that the state government could mull over the proposal of providing jobs to one member of every family or household in a tea estate.

“As tea leaf production is low now, tea companies are in distress and cannot provide regular jobs to workers. Hence, if every household in the garden has a job card, they can tide over this crisis,” said Darnal.

Trinamool leaders, when told about the letter, said that the BJP-led Centre had stopped providing funds to Bengal for the 100 days’ job scheme.

“That is why the state government used its own funds to clear the dues of those who worked under the scheme but didn’t get their wages,” said a TMC leader based in Alipurduar, a district with over 60 tea estates.

The NUPW leaders, however, said that the Mamata Banerjee government has introduced Karmashree, a scheme to provide 50 days’ work to people. “At this time of crisis, this scheme can be extended to tea gardens,” one of them said.
Northeast, Regional, Sikkim, West Bengal

Severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’ weakens into cyclonic storm, more rain likely in several Bengal districts

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Flights services from the Calcutta airport resumed on Tuesday after remaining suspended for 21 hours in view of the cyclone Remal, an official said on Monday
An NDRF personnel removes an uprooted tree from a road after the landfall of Cyclone ‘Remal’, in South 24 Parganas district.: File

PTI, Calcutta, 27.05.24 :  Severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’ weakened into a cyclonic storm on Monday morning, sustaining wind speeds of 80-90 kilometres per hour, following landfall around midnight of Sunday, the Met Department said.

The weather system, which lay 150 km northeast of Sagar Island at 5.30 am, brought torrential rain in Calcutta and the coastal districts of West Bengal overnight, it said.
It is likely to move northeastwards and weaken further, the department said in a bulletin.

Calcutta recorded a rainfall of 146 mm in the period between 8.30 am on Sunday and 5.30 am of Monday, it said.

The metropolis logged a maximum wind speed of 74 kmph, while Dum Dum in the northern outskirts of the city recorded maximum wind speed of 91 kmph, the weather office said.

Other places in south Bengal which received heavy rainfall during the period are Haldia (110 mm), Tamluk (70 mm) and Nimpith (70 mm), it said.

NDRF personnel remove an uprooted tree from a road after the landfall of Cyclone ‘Remal’ at Sagar Island
The weatherman has forecast more rain in Calcutta and the southern districts including Nadia and Murshidabad, with one or two spells of intense downpour, along with gusty surface winds till Tuesday morning.

Scenes of widespread devastation were evident across West Bengal’s coastal areas, with extensive damage to infrastructure and property, a day after Cyclone Remal tore through the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal with winds reaching speeds of 135 km per hour.

The cyclone ravaged adjacent coasts of the state and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near the southwest of Mongla in the neighbouring country, after its landfall process began at 8.30 pm on Sunday, officials said.

Efforts to restore normality are underway, with emergency services working to clear debris and restore power in the affected areas.

The cyclone has led to significant disruptions in air, rail and road transportation in Calcutta and other parts of southern Bengal, they said.

Several suburban trains were cancelled in the Sealdah South section of Eastern Railway (ER), owing to the cyclone.

Train services in the section resumed at 9 am, an ER official said.

Flight services resume

Flights services from the Calcutta airport resumed on Tuesday after remaining suspended for 21 hours in view of the cyclone Remal, an official said on Monday.

The first plane to depart on Monday was IndiGo’s Calcutta-Port Blair flight at 8.59 am, while the first one to land in Calcutta was SpiceJet’s flight from Guwahati. It landed at 09.50 am, an Airports Authority of India (AAI) top official said.

Check-in was on for some other flights, the official said.

The last flight to depart from Calcutta airport on Sunday was at 12.16 pm.

Though the process of resuming flight operations has begun, it will take some more time for the situation to become normal, sources at the airport said.
National, Northeast, Regional, West Bengal

Cyclone Remal leaves devastation in its wake as it makes landfall in coastal West Bengal

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‘Remal’ flattened fragile dwellings, uprooted trees and knocked down electric poles. One person was injured after being hit by debris in the Gosaba area of the Sundarbans

PTI, Calcutta, 27.05.24 : With winds gusting up to 135 kilometres per hour, severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’ made landfall between the coasts of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal, bringing heavy rains that flooded homes and farmland, and leaving a trail of destruction.

The landfall process began at 8:30 pm on Sunday over the adjacent coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near the southwest of Mongla in the neighbouring country.
‘Remal’ flattened fragile dwellings, uprooted trees and knocked down electric poles. One person was injured after being hit by debris in the Gosaba area of the Sundarbans.

More than one lakh people were evacuated from vulnerable areas in West Bengal before the cyclone struck.

“Severe cyclonic storm Remal made landfall between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh on Sunday night with wind speeds reaching up to 135 kmph,” the meteorological office said.
News footage showed gigantic tidal waves crashing into a seawall in coastal resort town of Digha.

The vast coastline was blurred by thick sheets of rain as the cyclone made landfall, with surging waters sweeping fishing boats inland and inundating mud-and-thatch houses and farmlands in low-lying areas.

In Kolkata’s Bibir Bagan area, one person was injured when a wall collapsed due to a heavy downpour.

Reports from North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts stated roofs of thatched houses were blown away, electric poles twisted and trees uprooted in several areas.

Streets and homes in low-lying areas adjoining Kolkata were inundated.

1.10 lakh people moved to cyclone shelters

The West Bengal government shifted around 1.10 lakh people from coastal and vulnerable areas to cyclone shelters, schools and colleges by Sunday late afternoon.

Evacuation efforts focused on relocating people from South 24 Parganas district, especially Sagar Island, Sundarbans and Kakdwip, according to an official.

PM chairs review meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review the response and preparedness for the storm, while West Bengal Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose monitored the situation closely.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged people to stay at home and assuring them of her government’s support.

KMC swings into action

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities evacuated people from high-rises and dilapidated buildings, according to Mayor Firhad Hakim.

Hakim mentioned that 15,000 civic employees were mobilised to address post-cyclone scenarios, with equipment ready for quick removal of large uprooted trees.

The cyclone caused light rains and winds in areas like Digha, Kakdwip and Jaynagar, which is expected to intensify on Monday.

Note from IMD

The India Meteorological Department’s eastern regional head Somnath Dutta indicated that southern Bengal districts would experience increasing winds and rainfall.

Fourteen National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were deployed across districts in south Bengal, including Kolkata. The state government has readied SDRF teams and worked with the KMC. Relief materials and quick response teams were in place.

Flights, trains disrupted

Cyclone Remal has caused significant disruptions in air, rail and road transportation in Kolkata and other parts of southern Bengal.

The Eastern and South Eastern Railways cancelled some trains, and the Kolkata airport suspended flight operations for 21 hours, affecting 394 flights.

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata has also suspended operations.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ensured no loss of life or property at sea, with remote operating stations alerting vessels and ships. Nine disaster relief teams were on standby.

Indian Navy keeps an eye out

The Indian Navy has readied two ships equipped with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and medical supplies, with aviation assets on standby for rapid response. Specialised diving teams and flood relief teams have also been prepared for deployment.

Red alert in Assam

A ‘red alert’ was issued for extremely heavy rainfall in seven districts of Assam, and an ‘orange alert’ in 11 districts, according to an official release.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has alerted residents and authorities, emphasising safety measures as the cyclone, after hitting West Bengal and Bangladesh on May 26, is predicted to move towards the Northeast.

Bangladesh evacuates over 8 lakh people

On Sunday night, Bangladesh authorities evacuated over 800,000 people from vulnerable areas of the country’s low-lying southwestern coastlines to shelters.

“The cyclone has made landfall and started crossing the West Bengal coast in India through the south-west side of Mongla and Khepupara coast of Bangladesh around 8:30 pm (local time),” a met office spokesman told reporters.

Calcutta airport deserted

The terminal building of Calcutta airport wore a deserted look following the suspension of flight operations shortly after noon on Sunday due to the looming threat of ‘Remal’.

Such a sight was unprecedented, as the airport, typically teeming with activity like any other international hub, now stood deserted, save for security personnel, Airports Authority of India staff, and a handful of airline employees.

Saturday saw the airport authorities making the decision to halt flight operations for 21 hours starting from Sunday noon.
Crime, International, West Bengal

Bangladesh Police team arrives in Kolkata for MP murder probe

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MP, 26 May 2024, Kolkata: A team of Bangladesh Police led by the Additional Commissioner of Police (Addl. CP), Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Md. Harun Ar Rashid along with two other senior officers arrived in Kolkata on Sunday morning to investigate the gruesome murder case of a Bangladesh Member of Parliament (MP) Anwarul Azim. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Police has also got in touch with the INTERPOL to bring back the mastermind of the murder Akhtarujjaman alias Sahin and arrest him. 
On Sunday around 11 am, the Bangladesh Police team landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport. 
Before leaving the airport, Rashid met the media in Kolkata and said: “For the investigation we need to visit the Place of Occurrence (PO) as well. 
So far we have exchanged information with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). We are going to check the CCTV footage. Akhtarujjaman who is the mastermind is suspected to have fled to the USA. 
The plan was hatched in Bangladesh and the crime was committed here in West Bengal. We will seek assistance and cooperation from the CID and local police.” 
Sources informed that cops from Bengal went to Bangladesh and interrogated the persons who were arrested there for alleged murder of Azim. 
The Bangladesh Police may interrogate the accused Jihad Hawaladar who was arrested for the murder of Azim to corroborate his statement with the statements of the accused arrested in Bangladesh. 
On Sunday evening, the Bangladesh Police team met the CID officials and talked about the case. 
CID has reportedly come to know that another person was given the responsibility of dumping a few body parts of Azim. Cops are trying to find out the accused and the spot where the body parts were dumped. 
Meanwhile, on Sunday a search operation was conducted throughout the day at the Bagjola canal in Krishnamati area of Polerhat to find the body parts of the Bangladesh MP. But till evening nothing was found. 
Later the search operation was stopped owing to low light and bad weather conditions.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cyclone-remal-civic-bodies-take-prep-measures-to-tackle-impact-565396?infinitescroll=1

Regional, West Bengal

HS Council to hold workshop with subject teachers from June

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MP, 26 May 2024, Kolkata: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) will start workshop involving subject teachers from June with the new semester system being introduced from Class XI from this year. 

However, the workshop for subject teachers will be in virtual mode. According to sources in the Council, these workshops will start from the second week of June after the MCC (Model Code of Conduct) in connection with the Lok Sabha elections get lifted. 
The Council will be hosting such workshops on the ‘Zoom’ platform. 
As many as 1,000 teachers from various parts of the state can join the platform at a time. There will be no time limit for one session which will speed up the process of equipping the teachers to teach under the semester system. 
This online workshop will go side by side with a similar programme with heads of institutions on the nitty gritty of the semester system, mostly in offline mode. “
There has been a significant change in academics and examination pattern at the Higher Secondary level with the introduction of the semester system. 
These workshops are meant for educating the headmasters and the subject teachers about this system so that the students do not face any difficulty in coping up with the new system. The workshops will be held both in online and offline mode,” said Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, president of WBCHSE. 
The workshop will inform the teachers of the evaluation system, the change in question pattern, among others. 
The MCQ pattern questions and how to set the same will also be discussed in detail. It will be a two-way communication as the teachers’ opinion will also be elicited during the workshop. The Council has already held workshops with heads of institutions in the first phase that involved all the districts of North Bengal and Kolkata. 
As many as 650 headmasters and headmistresses joined it. There are 25 educational districts under the Council among which 10 districts have already hosted headmasters’ and headmistress’ workshop. Similar initiative with the rest of the district schools will be completed in the month of June. 
Crime, West Bengal

Ramakrishna Mission ashram vandalism case: 2 more held

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MP, 26 May 2024, Siliguri: Bhaktinagar Police and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Siliguri Metropolitan arrested two more accused in connection with the vandalism of ‘Sewak Bhawan’, the ashram belonging to Ramakrishna Mission in Siliguri, which happened on May 19. 

Out of the two, one was arrested from Kolkata by SOG. The accused has been identified as Manoj Ghosh, a resident of Siliguri. 
According to police sources, Manoj was one of the masterminds in the vandalism case. He is involved in several land corruption cases. 
He fled from Siliguri a few days ago and was hiding in Kolkata. Based on secret information, a team of SOG raided several areas of Kolkata city and finally arrested him on Friday. 
On the same night, Bhaktinagar Police arrested another accused named Shivam Paswan, a resident of Prakash Nagar in Siliguri. 
On Friday, another Siliguri resident lodged a complaint against Shivam for demanding Rs 10 lakh and threatening him to take possession of his land. 
Manoj was taken into four days’ police remand and Shivam was sent into 14 days’ jail custody after they were produced at Jalpaiguri Court. 
Pradeep Roy, prime accused in the case, is still absconding and a search is ongoing.
Earlier five individuals have been arrested in connection with the recent vandalisation incident at the Ramakrishna Mission in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. 
The arrests were made following a complaint from the Ramakrishna Mission, and the suspects have been identified as Shambhu Das, Debashish Sarkar, Shambhu Mahato, Samuel Baidya, and Rajiv. 
The incident involved alleged hooligans led by Pradeep Roy, who attacked the Ramakrishna Mission ashram, threatened and snatched articles, and damaged CCTV cameras.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/ramakrishna-mission-ashram-vandalism-case-2-more-held-565361

Politics, Regional, West Bengal

Even after over 3 months, 4 families yet to get Rs 1L ex-gratia each vowed by Governor

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Radhamadhab Saha, MP, 26 May 2024, Raiganj: With more than three-and-a-half-months having passed since four children died after being buried alive in an under-construction high drain at Chetnagauchh in Chopra, North Dinajpur, the affected families are yet to receive Rs 1 lakh ex-gratia each assured by C V Anand Bose, Bengal Governor, during his visit. 

The affected families have expressed their grievances and appealed to the Governor to live up to his commitment. Close to Dangi border outpost in Chopra, manned by the BSF, a high drain was being dug up with a JCB, without any precautionary measures. 
Four children between 6 and 11 years of age died from a mudslide from the construction of this high drain on February 12. Also Read – Cyclone ‘Remal’: Civic bodies take prep measures to tackle impact 
On February 19, Chandrima Bhattacharjee, minister of state in-charge of the Finance and Health department as well as the state TMC leaders met the bereaved families and declared Rs 2 lakh compensation from the end of the state government to each victim’s family.
She also announced Rs 3 lakh to each family from the end of the TMC committee. The families received both the amounts. Samirul Islam whose child died in this incident, said: “We have received the ex-gratia from the state government and TMC committee. 
The Governor had assured us an assistance of Rs 1 lakh to each family. However, even after over three months, we have not received the fund yet.” 
Kanaiyalal Agarwal, president of North Dinajpur TMC committee, said: “The four families are from the economically backward bracket. We urge the Governor to pay them as per his commitment.”

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/even-after-over-3-months-4-families-yet-to-get-rs-1l-ex-gratia-each-vowed-by-guv-565358
Politics, Regional, Sikkim, West Bengal

Sikkim Chief Minister and GTA chief pledge to work together

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Amitava Banerjee, MP, 26 May 2024, Darjeeling: Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chief Anit Thapa unanimously stated that they would work together for issues benefiting the Gorkha community. 

The issue pertaining to the inclusion of the 11 Gorkha sub-communities in the Scheduled Tribe list would be pushed by both. Sharing the stage for the first time, Tamang and Thapa attended the Ubhauli Sakela festival of the Kirat Rai community, in Darjeeling, on Sunday. 
Both took part in a colourful procession from Darjeeling Railway Station to Darjeeling Mall. “In the capacity of the Chief Minister of a state, the Gorkha community looks up to you as their guardian. 
We request you to take up issues concerning the Gorkhas, especially the inclusion of the 11 Gorkha sub-communities in the Scheduled Tribe list. You have to lead us. Whenever there is an issue pertaining to the welfare of the Gorkhas, Chief Minister P S Tamang will always find me by his side. 
Keeping aside politics we will all have to work together for our community,” stated Anit Thapa. 
Speaking in unison, the Sikkim Chief Minister stated: “Places have their own politics, Sikkim has its politics, Darjeeling has its own politics and so does Bengal. We do not interfere in each other’s politics. 
However, for the issues concerning all of us, we have to work together. 
In the case of inclusion of Nepali language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution or inclusion of Limboo and Tamang communities in the Schedule Tribe list, both the states had worked together. Similarly regarding the inclusion of the left out Gorkha sub-communities in the ST list we have to work together. 
Already Sikkim and Bengal have sent recommendations to Delhi,” stated Tamang. Tamang stressed on Sikkim and Darjeeling being neighbours. “Neighbours always help each other. In times of crisis, neighbours are the first to extend a helping hand. Likewise, staying away from politics we should always help each other,” stated Tamang. 
The Sikkim Chief Minister stated that Sikkim was fast emerging as a medical and education hub. “Many from the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills come to the government hospital in Gangtok for specialised treatment. It is much cheaper than private facilities in Siliguri. Soon we will start a help desk at the hospital for the benefit of outstation patients,” stated Tamang. 
The two-day festival was organised by the Kirati Khambu Rai Sanskritik Sanghsthan, Darjeeling on May 25 and 26 at the Darjeeling Mall, attended by people from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim and Dooars. 
The Rai’s are an ethno-linguistic group of the Kirat family residing in Bengal and Sikkim in India along with eastern Nepal and south western Bhutan. Sakela Ubhauli is a harvest festival and is celebrated in the month of Baisakh welcoming spring and starts on the full moon day. Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/sikkim-chief-minister-and-gta-chief-pledge-to-work-together-565357
Regional, West Bengal

Cyclone Remal makes landfall, authorities engaged in clearing uprooted trees in Kolkata amid rainfall

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 As heavy rain and gusty winds continue in Kolkata following the landfall of severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’, the Kolkata Municipality team and Kolkata Police Disaster Management team are engaged in clearing uprooted trees in the Alipore area of the city.
Cyclone Remal makes landfall, authorities engaged in clearing uprooted trees in Kolkata amid rainfall: Visuals from the spot (Photo:ANI )

ANI | New Delhi | May 27, 2024 : As heavy rain and gusty winds continue in Kolkata following the landfall of severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’, the Kolkata Municipality team and Kolkata Police Disaster Management team are engaged in clearing uprooted trees in the Alipore area of the city.


Late-night visuals showed workers trying to clear roads as rains continues to lash.
Priyabrata Roy, DC South Kolkata, said, “We are getting the information that in some places, trees have been uprooted, in those areas, Kolkata Municipality team, Kolkata Police Disaster Management team, have reached and work is underway. The uprooted trees will be cut and cleared soon so that the roads can be opened. By morning, situation will be okay…Police’s special unified control room is monitoring the situation throughout the night, in the wake of the cyclone. Municipality Control Room is also opened…”

The landfall process began at 8:30 pm on Sunday over the adjacent coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near the southwest of Mongla in the neighbouring country.

‘Remal’ flattened fragile dwellings, uprooted trees and knocked down electric poles. The wind intensity of 110 to 120 kmph, gusting to 135 kmph. Visuals from outside the Raj Bhavan showed heavy rains and gusty winds lashing the capital city.
Talking about the landfall of the cyclonic storm Somnath Dutta, Eastern Region Head, IMD Kolkata said, “The landfall process started at 8:30 pm…over the Bangladesh and West Bengal coast. As per the observation at 10:30 pm, it shows that the landfall process is continuing…by 12:30 am the landfall process will be complete”.

Ahead of the impending landfall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review the preparedness for cyclone “Remal” over the North Bay of Bengal at his residence.
Prime Minister was briefed that the National Crisis Management Committee is in regular touch with the Government of West Bengal. All fishermen have been advised not to venture into the South Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.
National, Regional, West Bengal

Cyclone Remal: Rain lashes parts of city ahead of landfall

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 As the clock for the cyclone ‘Remal’ landfall ticked closer, the city got drenched with a rainfall of 13.5mm till 4.30pm.
Impact of Cyclone ‘Remal’ in Kolkata (Photo:ANI)
SNS | Kolkata | May 27, 2024 : As the clock for the cyclone ‘Remal’ landfall ticked closer, the city got drenched with a rainfall of 13.5mm till 4.30pm. At 2.30pm, the system was situated 160 km southeast of Sagar Islands, 190 km southsoutheast of Canning, 160 km of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 220 km south of Mongla in Bangladesh with wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph prevailing around the cyclone centre. The storm, as per the forecast received till 6pm, was expected to move nearly northwards, intensify further and cross Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara, close to southwest of Mongla around 11pm as a severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph. With the cyclone heading towards land, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation braced for the upcoming cyclone. For monitoring the situation, the civic body opened a control room and cancelled the holiday for its staff.

The Drainage department decided to deploy manpower at all its block gates. It also kept two pick up vans on standby for rushing to the hospital in case of injuries or any mishaps. Manpower was also deployed at every borough to address issues of power cuts in any wards. According to the member-mayor-in-council for Drainage Tarak Singh, electrical contractors responsible for responding to issues of power supply were also alerted.

Like the KMC, the Eastern Railway and the Kolkata metro Railway also geared up for the cyclone. The city metro ran truncated services between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Dakshineswar in Blue Line were operated considering the inclement weather. Likewise, the Eastern Railway opened helpline numbers at Howrah and Sealdah for emergency assistance. The helpline numbers at Sealdah are- 033- 23508794 (DOT) and 033- 23833326 while that of Howrah is 033-2641366