Mamata Banerjee visits landslide-hit Darjeeling district to oversee relief operations
The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in Darjeeling on Monday said the landslides had damaged private and government property worth ₹950 crore.
SILIGURI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited Mirik and Sukhia Pokhari in Darjeeling district on Tuesday and interacted with the families who lost their homes and relatives in the October 5 landslides.
“I will hold a review meeting with officials on Wednesday,” she told reporters during her first visit to the region after the calamity.
The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling on Monday said the landslides had damaged private and government property worth ₹950 crore.
Four north Bengal districts were affected due to heavy rains earlier this month that led to landslides in the hills and the floods in the plains, killing 33 people.
Banerjee first visited Mirik, where 11 people had died, and handed over cheques for ₹5 lakh as an ex-gratia payment to help their families. She also offered jobs to the deceased’s next of kin.
“Many homes were damaged. The government will give ₹1.20 lakh to each of these families to rebuild their homes,” she said.
According to the GTA, 318 roads, 75 culverts, 14 bridges, 813 public properties, including embankments, and 60 educational institutes were damaged or destroyed due to the landslides.
