The Hindu : National : Six months after cyclone Aila, victims are still homeless

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 27, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Six months after cyclone Aila, victims are still homeless

Ananya Dutta

Administrative procedures have held up compensation

KOLKATA: They endured the monsoon rains in temporary tarpaulin shelters pitched on embankments. Now, six months after the devastating cyclone pounded the region on May 25, Aila victims in the estuarine islands of the Sunderbans must brave the elements this winter since the promised compensation for rebuilding their homes is yet to come through for most.

Administrative procedures have held up the disbursement. “The State government has already handed over Rs. 50 crore each to the affected districts of North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas and another Rs. 15 crore to Darjeeling,” M.L. Meena, the State’s Environment Secretary told The Hindu. “While the money has been fully disbursed in Darjeeling, problems have arisen in the other two districts.”

Of the Rs.100 crore allotted for Aila victims in the Sunderbans, only about Rs. 19 crore (Rs. 5 crore in North 24 Parganas and Rs. 14 crore in South 24 Parganas) has been disbursed so far.

“There are two factors — finalisation of the list of beneficiaries and the opening of bank accounts for them as mandated by the guidelines — that have held up the disbursement of funds,” said Nilanjan Sandilya, Assistant District Magistrate (Relief) of South 24 Parganas.

By-elections in a constituency in North 24 Parganas caused a further delay. “For a month-and-a-half the Model Code of Conduct was in place during which the funds could not be given out,” said Binod Kumar, district magistrate of North 24 Parganas.

Nor has there been any progress in implementing infrastructure projects from the Rs. 1,000 crore sanctioned in the Union budget for rehabilitation of victims. “Proposals have been submitted to the Centre, but no approvals have come through as yet,” Mr. Meena said.

“The proposal for building permanent embankments, already approved by an expert committee from the Centre, has been stalled by the Ganga Flood Control Commission for more than three months on a matter of technicality,” said Subhas Naskar, Minister for Irrigation.

The Commission wants to reduce the budget, currently about Rs. 5,500 crore, by using bricks made from fly-ash instead of clay, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National