Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday finally spoke on the storm which razed parts of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar exactly a week ago.

Modi, who reached Dhupguri block on Sunday for a public meeting, started his speech by mentioning the storm. “The storm here has caused extensive damage in Mainaguri and some other areas. Four persons lost their lives in the incident and I extend my condolences to them. Some others got injured and are still under treatment and I wish them an early recovery,” he said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had reached Jalpaiguri within seven hours of the disaster. She had also scoffed at Modi for not speaking about the disaster on April 4 when he was in Cooch Behar. “The prime minister seems to have forgotten the natural calamity,” Mamata had said.

Some BJP functionaries had admitted that Trinamul was quicker in reaching out to the storm-hit people. Unlike Mamata and her party leaders, BJP leaders and workers were absent on the ground.

On Sunday, the BJP tried to do some damage control. Ahead of Modi’s arrival, party leaders paid tribute to the quartet who had died in the storm by observing a minute’s silence on the dais.

Sukanta Majumdar, the state BJP president, met their families at the meeting venue.

“There was a plan that the families would be taken to
the Prime Minister for a brief interaction. But because of security issues, the meeting couldn’t be arranged,” said a source.

Majumdar said: “I have spoken to the families. As the model code of conduct is in force, I can’t comment further. I have contributed my one month’s salary for relief through an NGO.”

A bereaved family member, Samir Roy, said: “We are homeless and need new houses and compensation for our crops. The state BJP president has spoken with us and we are feeling a bit relieved.”

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday continued to highlight that despite the state’s initiatives, the homeless were not getting new houses because of the Election Commission of India (EC). At a public meeting in Purulia, Mamata said that the storm in north Bengal damaged around 5,000 houses.

“The state administration has sought permission from the Election Commission to build houses for them. However, the EC has not yet given the clearance. Why is it withholding permission when we, not the BJP, will pay the money?” asked Mamata.

Tea protest

Workers of a Jalpaiguri tea estate owned by the central government blocked a road for nine hours on Sunday, alleging they had not been paid their dues on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the district and expressed his concern about the north Bengal tea industry.

Modi’s meeting and the blockade were held around 35km apart.

Around 8am, over 300 workers of the New Dooars tea estate reached the Banarhat-Chamurchi road and blocked it. The garden is owned by Andrew Yule & Company Limited, a public sector conglomerate that works under the Union ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises.

“We have not got our wages for seven weeks. Also, PF of around Rs 1 crore is yet to be deposited to the Employees Provident Fund Organisation. A garden owned by the Centre is not paying wages,” said a protester.

There are 1,558 permanent workers in the garden that makes CTC teas, sources said.

As the blockade continued, Modi landed in a chopper in Dhupguri.

“Among the tea-producing states of the country, the tea sector in Bengal is in shambles. Workers are confronting several inconveniences. Many gardens are closing down and the state government here is not doing anything for the sector,” Modi said in his speech.