Siliguri, July 20: West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today assured of all possible state government help to construct houses for the victims of the landslide in Mirik and elsewhere in Darjeeling hills on July 8. Bhattacharjee, on a two-day visit to the district to take stock of the relief measures and talk to the affected, went straight to the worst-hit Gayabari relief camp from Bagdogra airport.

The manager of Gayabari tea estate, Nisith Chakraborty, told Bhattacharjee that 50 houses needed to be constructed immediately for which the garden authorities would provide land.

Seeking state government's financial and technical assistance for construction of houses, Chakraborty told the Chief Minister that 50 houses in the garden were completely demolished and 150 others were partially damaged in the landslide. Around 900 persons were now residing in the camp.
Bhattacharjee told the manager that the government was aware of the situation and would do its best. Funds would not be a constraint, he said and asked Chakraborty to keep contact with urban development minister Asok Bhattacharjee, who was assigned by the chief minister to oversee relief and restoration.

Twenty-five people had lost their lives in the landslide and 10 were missing.

Bureau Report