Cyclone Amphan and COVID: How's West Bengal Recovering? | Interview With Mahua Moitra
The Wire
2021-06-03
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Super cyclone Amphan has left in its wake devastating damage across parts of West Bengal. In a conversation with Mitali Mukherjee, Mahua Moitra (All India Trinamool Congress, Lok Sabha MP of Krishnanagar, West Bengal) says the destructions is unlike anything the state has ever seen before.
While 80 – 90 people were killed, the hit to infrastructure and homes has been immense.
In her own constituency she says 70,000 hectares have been destroyed and over 60,000 houses, both kuchha and pucca have been completely decimated.
In the worst hit areas of South and North 24 Parganas, relief efforts have also been affected because many areas are physically difficult to reach .
Elsewhere, esp in the state capital Kolkata, Ms. Moitra says tree fall has been intense and many parts of the state still have no power or water supply- While 70 to 80% restoration has happened, removing trees and getting power supply back on is taking time and effort.
The Cyclone comes at a time when the state has seen a spike in COVID cases. Ms Moitra told Mitali Mukherjee that the state is braced for an increase in numbers because people are huddling in shelters post Cyclone Amphan and reaching or testing those infected is even tougher.
She also said the influx of migrants at a time when the cyclone has spread ruin, will only exacerbate the rise in COVID cases which is why the state has asked to stop air & rail travel into West Bengal for a few days.
“ We are running at a zero-revenue situation, in my constituency alone, the spend on quarantine centres, testing etc is going at Rs 10 lakhs per district” says Ms Moitra
Rebuilding efforts will take us many years, so many parts like the Sunderbans are still reeling from the impact of the previous Cyclone Aila, she said.
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While 80 – 90 people were killed, the hit to infrastructure and homes has been immense.
In her own constituency she says 70,000 hectares have been destroyed and over 60,000 houses, both kuchha and pucca have been completely decimated.
In the worst hit areas of South and North 24 Parganas, relief efforts have also been affected because many areas are physically difficult to reach .
Elsewhere, esp in the state capital Kolkata, Ms. Moitra says tree fall has been intense and many parts of the state still have no power or water supply- While 70 to 80% restoration has happened, removing trees and getting power supply back on is taking time and effort.
The Cyclone comes at a time when the state has seen a spike in COVID cases. Ms Moitra told Mitali Mukherjee that the state is braced for an increase in numbers because people are huddling in shelters post Cyclone Amphan and reaching or testing those infected is even tougher.
She also said the influx of migrants at a time when the cyclone has spread ruin, will only exacerbate the rise in COVID cases which is why the state has asked to stop air & rail travel into West Bengal for a few days.
“ We are running at a zero-revenue situation, in my constituency alone, the spend on quarantine centres, testing etc is going at Rs 10 lakhs per district” says Ms Moitra
Rebuilding efforts will take us many years, so many parts like the Sunderbans are still reeling from the impact of the previous Cyclone Aila, she said.
Like our work? Click here to support The Wire: https://thewire.in/support
The founding premise of The Wire is this: if good journalism is to survive and thrive, it can only do so by being both editorially and financially independent. This means relying principally on contributions from readers and concerned citizens who have no interest other than to sustain a space for quality journalism. As a publication, The Wire will be firmly committed to the public interest and democratic values.
We publish in four different languages!
For English, visit www.thewire.in
for Hindi: http://thewirehindi.com/
for Urdu: http://thewireurdu.com
for Marathi: https://marathi.thewire.in
If you are a young writer or a creator, you can submit articles, essays, photos, poetry – anything that’s straight out of your imagination – to LiveWire, The Wire’s portal for the young, by the young. https://livewire.thewire.in/
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