Chief minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to flood-hit residents of Bhutni islet of Manikchak block in Malda on the phone of state municipal and urban development minister Firhad Hakim, who visited the islet on Saturday.

Hakim reached Malda on Saturday and went to Bhutni where many areas have been flooded by the swollen Ganga, leaving around 1.5 lakh people affected. As embankments have collapsed, water has gushed into the islet villages.

Mamata, while talking over the phone to flood-affected people, said: “People have died as boats have capsized. You should not ply by boat rampantly. If you have anything to get, the state government and the district administrations will provide it to you. Do not panic. We will do all that is necessary.”

She said that a couple of days back, she had sent senior government officers to Manikchak. On Friday, Trinamool leaders Samirul Islam and Ritabrata Banerjee were there.

“Bobby (Firhad Hakim) is taking stock of the situation today (Saturday). I know you are in distress. If you have anything to communicate, please let Bobby and Sabitri Mitra (the local MLA) know. The families of those who have died will get a compensation of ₹2 lakh. We will reconstruct a collapsed bridge,”
Mamata added.

In the course of the conversation, she also directed district magistrate Nitin Singhania and superintendent of police Pradeep Kumar Yadav to keep a close vigil on the flood situation.

“There should be no dearth of relief materials... ensure that,” Mamata told the DM.

Hakim distributed some relief materials sent by the state for Manikchak.

“We are with you. The district and block administrations would be arranging all that you require,” said Hakim.

Relief supply mayhem

Soon after the minister left Bhutni with the DM, the SP and others, there was mayhem in the area.

An excited lot of the flood victims looted the relief materials kept for distribution in a truck. It led to panic among the workers posted there to distribute the materials. They started throwing the packets of relief materials in
a hurry.

This worsened the situation as people jostled with each other to grab the packets. After some time, as supply stopped, they left for their homes.

Sukumar Mandal, a flood victim, said: “There could have been a stampede. I did not dare collect the supplies amid the mayhem. The distribution process should be
more methodical.”

Boat overturns

A boat overturned near the broken dyke of Dakshin Chandipur on Saturday evening.

The NDRF team rescued three persons. Residents claimed two more on the boat went missing. Officials of the block administration said they were checking the veracity of the claim.

Sabitri Mitra, the Trinamool MLA of Manikchak, said: “I have also heard that two persons are missing. Personnel of the district disaster management group are trying to confirm if it is a fact.”