No stone will be left unturned to help Amphan-hit states: Modi

The Centre is continuously monitoring the situation in cyclone Amphan-hit West Bengal and Odisha with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday(May 21) saying no stone will be left unturned in helping the affected people as efforts are on to restore normal activities.

West Bengal informed the Centre that there were major damages to agriculture, power and telecommunication facilities in cyclone-hit areas, while Odisha said damages have been mainly limited to agriculture.

Home Minister Amit Shah dialled Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee to offer "all possible help" from the Centre even as National Crisis Management Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba took stock of the situation with top Central and state officials.

"Have been seeing visuals from West Bengal on the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan. In this challenging hour, the entire nation stands in solidarity with West Bengal. Praying for the well-being of the people of the state. Efforts are on to ensure normalcy. No stone will be left unturned in helping the affected," Modi tweeted. Shah said the Centre was "closely monitoring" the cyclone Amphan and are in continuous touch with concerned authorities.

Following the forecast by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), West Bengal had evacuated five lakh people and Odisha two lakh with the help of NDRF. This has resulted in minimal loss of human lives, considering the fact that the intensity of the Amphan was next only to that of the Super Cyclone that struck Odisha in 1999 causing large scale devastation, an official statement said.

During the NCMC review meeting, Gauba directed all central ministries and agencies to remain in close touch with Odisha and West Bengal State governments and provide all required assistance expeditiously.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be sending teams to carry out an early assessment of damages and submit a report. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has moved additional teams to West Bengal to speed up restoration work, especially in Kolkata.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has been instructed to ensure adequate availability of food grains, especially rice, to West Bengal so that marooned people are provided immediate sustenance, officials said.

Ministry of Power and Department of Telecommunications will assist the two states in the early restoration of electricity and communication channels. The Railways, which suffered major damages to its infrastructure, is in the process of restarting its operations at the earliest.

Chief Secretaries of West Bengal and Odisha as well as senior officers from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Defence, Shipping, Civil Aviation, Railways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power, Telecommunications, Steel, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Health, IMD, National Disaster Management Authority and NDRF attended the review meeting