West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who died in rain-related incidents across the state. She also urged the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC), the electricity provider for Kolkata and surrounding areas, to provide an additional ₹5 lakh compensation to the families of those who were electrocuted.
At least 10 people have died since Tuesday due to heavy rainfall, with officials confirming that nine were electrocuted in Kolkata after coming into contact with open wires amid severe waterlogging.
Speaking at the inauguration of a Durga Puja in south Kolkata, Banerjee stated that the state government would also ensure employment for a family member of each deceased person. She appealed to CESC to take responsibility for the electrocution deaths, which she said were caused by their negligence.
The Chief Minister, who has been reviewing the "flood-like situation" since Tuesday, said that water has now receded from most parts of the city. She claimed the flooding was aggravated by decades of inadequate dredging of waterways by entities such as Kolkata Port, Farakka Barrage, and the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). She noted that whenever it rains in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, the water flows into West Bengal, forcing the state to manage the situation on its own.
Large parts of the metropolis were affected by waterlogging on Tuesday following the heavy overnight rainfall, which left thousands of commuters stranded and disrupted civic life.
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