Opposition CPI (M) on Tuesday organized a mass deputation to the District Magistrate (DM) of West Tripura district demanding release of government fund for all flood affected people of Tripura including compensation for flood victims and farmers, reconstruction of infrastructure, and provision of essential support to those affected by the recent floods.

A delegation CPI(M) led by former Chief Minister and Politburo member Manik Sarkar, former Minister Manik Dey and former MP Sankar Prasad Datta along other leaders submitted their deputation before the DM.

Before their deputation, a rally of party workers and flood affected people  began at Orient Chowmuhani in the capital city of Agartala and ended at Office Lane where a large protest was held. The participants called for urgent intervention by the government to address the hardships faced by the flood-affected populace.

Addressing the gathering, former minister Manik Dey strongly criticized the state government, accusing it of negligence in responding to the floods that devastated many parts of  the state between August 19 and 23 last.

He said that the present  ‘double-engine’ government is now a triple engine and totally failed to alert  people before the disaster  and the government did not issue any  warnings , as a result, 33 lives were lost.

He said that if the government evacuated flood affected people in time, then many lives could be saved.  Dey, expressing his surprise, alleged that even the state machinery can evacuate people living in embankment areas of all major rivers of the state, which caused tremendous suffering of people.

 Despite having advanced notice, no efforts were made to evacuate the residents, said Dey and added that lakhs people suffered massive losses including their homes, crop fields and vehicles.

Demanding declaration of flood devastation as ‘National Disaster’, Dey alleged that people are struggling with a lack of basic necessities and they have no work, no food. In places like Udaipur, floodwaters are still standing in several areas, yet the government is trying to force people out of relief camps, this is unacceptable, said Dey.

The delegation also made specific demands, including the allocation of work under MGNREGA for the next two months and an increase in wages to provide flood affected people a relief.

After 15 days of devastating floods, financial assistance from the state government is yet to reach the victims, said CPI(M) leaders and urged the government to resolve the suffering of flood affected people at the earliest.