All government schools in the state will remain closed during June for repairing school buildings that were damaged due to cyclone Amphan and to convert them into institutional quarantine centres for accommodating migrant workers coming from coronavirus hotspot states.
Earlier, the state government had announced that schools would remain closed till 10 June.
Ninety per cent of electricity knocked out by the cyclone has been restored in the state and WBSEDCL has performed better than CESC, said chief minister Mamata Banerjee today.
She said that CESC has informed that by evening power will be restored for 32.75 lakh out of 33 lakh consumers.
“I would ask CESC to restore power in the remaining 30,000 households as soon as possible. Deploy additional manpower wherever required. I seek forgiveness from people for this. I visited CESC’s head office and they informed that many of their staff had gone home and were unable to return due to the lockdown. However, I feel that in emergency services people should not be released,” said Miss Banerjee.
She slammed a particular media house for maligning the state government by blowing the public protests out of proportion.
“You might have some issues with CESC. Even I have problems with the organisation,” she said.
Miss Banerjee said that 4.5 lakh electric poles have been damaged and cannot be erected in rural areas unless water recedes. The state government had evacuated 8.5 lakh people and two lakh are still in relief camps. Six districts and six crore people were directly affected due to the cyclone, she added.
She instructed the district magistrates to ensure that nobody goes hungry during this disaster.
The agriculture joint survey would be completed in three days and a report would be submitted. Miss Banerjee announced Rs 5 lakh assistance for one lakh hectares of damaged betel leaf plantations and Rs 20,000 relief for repairing damaged houses. Some 10 lakh houses have been damaged.
She asked districts to repair the damaged 160 km of embankments as a top priority.
Around 317 km roads under PWD, 4710 km rural roads, 11 jetties and 300 bridges have been damaged.
According to preliminary reports, 10.5 lakh hectares of cultivable land have been damaged. This apart, 1,10,000 school buildings, 4200 ICDS centres and 2,000 health centres have been damaged.
Around nine lakh cattle and poultry animals have died.
She formed task forces headed by chief secretary at the state level and DM at the district level for conducting assessment and reconstruction work.
The task forces will review work every day, she said adding: “Assessment and work should be done simultaneously.”
The state government has provided 13.5 lakh tarpaulin to affected people and ordered another 10 lakh.
Meanwhile, Miss Banerjee condoled the death of Sukanta Singha Roy, Auxillary Fire Operator, Bally FS, due to electrocution.
“My heart goes out to all emergency responders who are risking their lives for common good, especially the family and friends of the deceased,” she tweeted.