Floods caught Trinamool Congress government unprepared: Left Front

Accusing West Bengal's Trinamool Congress government of being unprepared to tackle the ongoing floods, the opposition Left Front on Thursday said relief and rescue efforts were inadequate.

Claiming that nearly 10 lakh people have been affected in the floods, leader of the opposition in assembly Surjya Kanta Mishra said boats have not been sent to the inundated areas to rescue the people. "Even where boats are there, their number is grossly inadequate. The relief that is being distributed is also insufficient. Nearly 10 lakh people are affected. In many areas, relief has not reached. Lot of water pouches are needed as drinking water scarcity has developed with the tube wells being under water," Mishra, also a Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member, told media persons.

He said he had written to the state government several times before the floods to gear up the state machinery to tackle possible floods. "Every time we received response that the government is prepared to face any calamity. I called up the chief minister (Mamata Banerjee), but she did not take my call," he claimed.

Mishra alleged that prices of vegetables, potato, onion, ginger have sky-rocketed. "Onion is now selling at Rs.80 per kilo." He expressed concern that the situation may deteriorate in areas like Ghatal, Chandrakona and Daspur of West Medinipur district and Arambagh sub-division of Hooghly district due to the full moon tide on Friday. He said Kangsabati river has breached its embankment twice in East Midnapore district within a span of 50 days, inundating vast areas under Panskura police station.