Chief minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with officials of the state irrigation and disaster management departments in Jalpaiguri on Monday to take stock of the situation during monsoon.

It has been almost a week now that the southwest monsoon has reached north Bengal, especially the sub-Himalayan Bengal, Sikkim and neighbouring country of Bhutan.

Torrential rain has led to landslides in hills and flash floods in rivers that descend from Sikkim and Bhutan.

Water levels of rivers Teesta, Torsha, Jaldhaka and Kaljani have risen. Families living in unprotected areas on the banks have been shifted.

Mamata, who landed at a helipad in Tiabon of Matiali block from Cooch Behar, reached a bungalow nearby and spoke with engineers of the irrigation department and officials of disaster management as well as police.

“Flash floods have occurred in rivers like Mal, Chel, and Ghish rivers. The chief minister instructed officials to issue red alerts and completely stop the extraction of minor minerals (sand, stones and pebbles) from these riverbeds to avert mishaps,” said an irrigation department source.

Talks were held to form a joint committee with Bhutan to monitor the release of water from the neighbouring country.

“The chief minister also spoke of the dam in Bangladesh on the Atreyee river (which flows through South Dinajpur district). Officials said a survey was on to check the water level of the river,” the source added.

Mamata also asked the irrigation department and the administration to keep tabs on areas affected by erosion owing to the swelling of rain-fed rivers.

Didi makes momos

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee went to a tea stall in Chalsa's Padri Kutir on Monday afternoon, made momos and tea and distributed those among people with her.