Kolkata, July 20: The West Bengal chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya said today huge funds would be needed for rehabilitation work in the landslide hit Darjeeling hill areas but did not expect much help from the Centre. The Chief Minister on his return from a two-day on-the-spot study of the devastation caused by landslides and floods in north Bengal, told reporters that the landslides were ''of a serious nature''. He said that he had stressed the need for the administration to take up rehabilitation work for the affected people in those areas.

Huge funds however, would be needed for such an effort, he said.
Asked whether he would approach the Centre for assistance, he said he did not expect the Centre to come forward much in providing funds for relief and rehabilitation except for repair of national highways in north Bengal.

Bureau Report