Organising secretary of the West Bengal state board of the International Human Rights Council Utpal Roy has urged chief minister Mamata Banerjee to address the acute shortage of mental hospitals and government-run rehabilitation centres in north Bengal.
In a letter to the chief minister, Roy pointed out that West Bengal has six state-run mental hospitals – three in Kolkata and one each in Murshidabad, Purulia, and Cooch Behar. This leaves vast regions of north Bengal, including Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Malda, without adequate mental healthcare facilities.
He has proposed setting up mental hospitals in Siliguri, Raiganj, and Jalpaiguri to address the region’s growing mental health needs. Additionally, Mr Roy highlighted the absence of government rehabilitation centres, making de-addiction treatment unaffordable for middle and lower-income families.
With north Bengal facing a surge in drug and alcohol abuse, he urged the government to establish rehab centres in Jalpaiguri, Siliguri and Malda to ensure accessible and affordable treatment.
Mr Roy’s appeal calls for immediate intervention to safeguard the mental well-being of north Bengal’s citizens.