West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee Friday visted three relief camps in flood-hit east Midnapur district and announced that the state Irrigation Department had drawn up a Rs 350 crore long-term master plan to combat the floods.
Talking to reporters at Egra town, Bhattacharjee said central help would be sought to implement the master plan.
He said more than two lakh people had been sheltered in the three relief camps at Nachinda, Khejuri and Egra.
Over 40,000 houses had been destroyed and 80,000 others partially damaged in the floods, he added.
He said Rs 122 crore worth of paddy crops, betel leaf, vegetables and flowers, had been damaged. With the flood waters entering the canals, pisciculture worth Rs 200 crore had suffered.
Bhattacharya said there was sufficient food and water at the relief camps to last about a week.
The chief minister said the agri-horticulture department had been instructed to cultivate rabi and boro crops to make up for the crop loss and fishery cooperatives had been asked to look into the loss in fish cultivation.
The chief minister held meetings with the district officials, members of Parliament and legislators to discuss the flood situation.
He also surveyed the worst hit Dubda Basin.
Activists of the Socialist Unity Centre of India held a black flag demonstration at Digha More against the chief minister's visit after Bhattacharjee's convoy had passed.
The police resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd. Three party activists were arrested.
