Purulia district in West Bengal, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said, people are worse off than those in Orissa's poorest Kalahandi area, has since turned the corner.
The violence, which erupted in January 2007 over fear of land acquisition for a chemical hub in this hitherto little known corner of West Bengal, continued till November that year. Residents turned the area into a no-man's with roads dug up and the police unable to enter with the issue rocking the Parliament.
Doctors fear that the number of people suffering from water borne diseases and children falling prey to measles and other communicable diseases would increase once stagnant sea water recedes from the villages of the Sunderbans.
© 2025 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances