Saurabh Kumar Das, former additional chief secretary and chairman of West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation died prematurely this morning. He was 64 years old and is survived by his wife and children. Condoling his death Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her X handle wrote ” Stunned, shocked and saddened by the sudden demise of my long term colleague Saurabh Kumar Das.

The senior member of the Indian Administrative Service of West Bengal cadre, he headed our Panchayat and PHE departments, rose to become the State Election Commissioner and was the chairman of the West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation too. Ever smiling and ever helpful, he will be remembered as an excellent officer and a perfect gentleman. My sincere condolences to his family, friends and fraternity.” Das will be remembered by his friends for his simple and cordial behaviour with everyone.

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He was the secretary of PHE when the state government decided to lift unfiltered water from Debendrabala ghat and sent it to New Town for purification. It was subsequently sent to houses in New Town and Salt Lake. Das had worked with confidence in the state Health department. He had played a major role as the district magistrate in Murshidabad when tension between two communities cropped up, He went out of his way to serve people who had come to him for help.