WB CM Mamata Banerjee calls MHA's advance relief money for Cyclone Yaas 'discriminatory'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Union Home Ministry of discrimination with West Bengal over the advance relief compensation for Cyclone Yaas which is expected to make landfall soon in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.

While addressing a press conference, Mamata Banerjee said, "MHA assured an advance relief of Rs 600 crores to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh but only Rs 400 crores to West Bengal. This is discriminatory."

While speaking of the impact of the impending impact of Cyclonic storm Yaas over West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee stated, "4000 cyclone shelters are ready, 10 lakh people are to be evacuated. 51 disaster management teams, 1,000 electricity & 400 mobile network restoration teams have been formed. 20 districts will be severely affected by the cyclone."

Amit Shah's meeting with CMs of states to be hit by Cyclone Yaas

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had chaired a review meeting with chief ministers of West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and lieutenant governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to discuss the preparedness for very severe cyclone Yaas, which is likely to make landfall on the eastern coast on Wednesday. Although it was earlier reported that Mamata Banerjee would skip the meet in view of some prior engagements, however, the West Bengal CM was later seen attending the meeting.

Amit Shah urged the chief ministers to make adequate power backup arrangements in all COVID-19 hospitals, labs, vaccine cold chains and other medical facilities. He advised them to ensure adequate stocks of all essential medicines and supplies in hospitals, keeping in view likely disruption of the movement of vehicles. The Union Home Minister cited the example of advance action taken and preparedness by Western states in view of Cyclone Tauktae, which helped them in ensuring minimal adverse impact on any medical facility.

PM Narendra Modi on Sunday held a review meeting on Cyclone Yaas with top Ministers and senior government officials. The meeting featured representatives of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) along with Secretaries from Telecom, Power, Civil Aviation, Earth Sciences Ministries. Preparations to tackle the cyclonic storm were discussed in the meeting. Amit Shah and other Central Ministers also attended PM Modi's meeting.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), on Monday morning, alerted about the deep depression intensifying on the Bay of Bengal ahead of the Cyclone Yaas landfall which is expected to hit the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal and other Eastern parts of the country on May 26. The Eastern Railway has cancelled 25 trains between May 24 and May 29 as soon as preparations started taking place. The IMD confirmed the cyclonic storm last week and since then targetted states and the union government are ramping up steps to avoid any casualty. This will be the second severe cyclone of this year after Cyclone Tauktae hit the Western coast of the country earlier this month.

NDRF on standby for Cyclone Yaas