Cyclone Amphan: Owaisi slams Centre over 'insufficient' relief aid for West Bengal, Odisha

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday criticized the Central government over the relief packages announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for West Bengal and Odisha in the wake of the Cyclone Amphan. Calling the relief package 'insufficient', Owaisi said that the Centre must work for complete relief and rehabilitation for those affected by the severe cyclone. 

He said, "It is unfortunate that this cyclone has claimed and affected many lives and caused damage to a large number of houses. The Prime Minister has visited the states and announced Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 500 crore relief fund for West Bengal and Odisha respectively. This relief amount will not be sufficient. The Government of India must work for the complete relief and rehabilitation of the affected."

Expressing solidarity with the cyclone-affected states, he further added, "The devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan in Odisha and West Bengal is unimaginable. I and my party members are here for the people of these states as they began their difficult journey towards recovery. We pray for their relief." 

Centre's financial assistance to WB, Odisha

After taking stock of the situation in West Bengal and Odisha on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased persons. He also said that the Central government will allocate Rs 1,000 crore for an advance immediate assistance of West Bengal. He also announced Rs 50,000 each to the injured persons. The PM also conducted an aerial survey of the cyclone-affected areas in both the states and their chief ministers-- Naveen Patnaik and Mamata Banerjee respectively, and added Rs 500 crore relief for Odisha.

Read: Cyclone Amphan: West Bengal asks Railway Board to not send Shramik trains till May 26

The Cyclone Amphan 

Cyclone Amphan which reported winds up to 190 kmph made landfall at the Digha coast of West Bengal at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, hitting Kolkata a few hours later. There were widespread power cuts in large parts of Kolkata, North 24 Paraganas, and South Paraganas. Mobile and internet services were also down in parts of the state as the cyclone damaged several communication towers.

Streets and homes in low lying areas of Kolkata were swamped with rainwater. Portions of several dilapidated buildings came crashing down in Kolkata and other parts of the state. Embankments in Sundarban delta - a UNESCO site - were also breached as the surge whipped up by the cyclone inundated several kilometers of the island. At least 80 people have been killed in the calamity, while thousands have been displaced. 

Read: Dalai Lama writes to Mamata, Naveen Patnaik; condoles deaths due to Cyclone Amphan

On the other hand, nearly 45 lakh people in Odisha have been affected by the extremely severe cyclonic storm, which fiercely rolled past the state's coast and made landfall on Wednesday, uprooting trees and flattening fragile dwellings. The power infrastructure and the farm sector have also suffered considerable damage, while the telecommunication infrastructure is largely intact with minimal impact in the state. 

Read: Cyclone Amphan: PM Modi declares Rs.500 crore assistance to Odisha, lauds CM & his team

Read: Cyclone Amphan: Odisha receives Rs 500 Crores from Centre for relief and rehabilitation

(With ANI Inputs)