Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday issued a series of instructions to the district magistrates of two coastal districts — East Midnapore and South 24-Parganas — and the surrounding districts to ensure that people who were affected by Cyclone Dana were not left unattended.

She asked district magistrates of the eight districts, where heavy rainfall occurred following the landfall of Dana in Odisha early on Friday, to complete the assessment of damaged mud houses, kharif crops and roads within 48 hours.

“The assessment of the damage caused by the cyclone has to be completed within 48 hours after the weather improves... crops were damaged, mud houses collapsed and it has to be ensured that those who have taken shelter at relief camps are not sent back to their homes immediately,” said the chief minister while holding a video conference with the DMs.

Mamata said 2.16 lakh people were evacuated and taken to cyclone shelters. Moreover, there were reports that mud houses had collapsed in some districts.

“Those whose houses have collapsed should be given tarpaulins.... The government would look after those whose houses have collapsed,” said the chief minister hinting that they could be added to the list of beneficiaries of the rural housing scheme, for which the state would release funds in December.

Mamata laid stress on taking up the assessment of damaged crops at the earliest so that the state could stand by the affected farmers. She announced an increase in the tenure of the crop insurance scheme till November 30 so that all the affected farmers would get compensation.

She also wanted steps to prevent various diseases, including vector-borne ones, and instructed officials to hold medical camps in the districts where heavy rainfall occurred.

Another directive from Mamata was to ensure that no affected person was deprived of relief material.

Sources in the state administration said the way the chief minister monitored the government’s operations during the pre and post-landfall period of the cyclone, she wanted to send the message that she was in total control of the situation.

Mamata spent the entire night on Thursday at Nabanna and monitored each operation undertaken by the state administration when the cyclone made landfall in neighbouring Odisha. She visited the disaster management control room located on the second floor of Nabanna thrice.

“The chief minister visited the control room around 6.30pm and 10.30pm to check the progress of the cyclone. She came back to the control room at 2.10am and contacted each district magistrate,” said a senior official.