The state election commission has postponed panchayat polls in eight gram panchayats of Sandeshkhali Block II in North 24-Praganas after locals questioned the rationale behind holding of the polls in the area,which have been badly-hit by Cyclone Aila. On Tuesday,locals protested in front the office of the district administration saying that the government has no clue that two gram panchayats,including Darik Jungle and Korakati have been completely been destroyed during the cyclone. The embankments were completely washed out. The river has engulfed these two villages. But the election notification was released by the district administration in these villages. This was the reason the villagers agitated in the administration office, said Bharatchandra Das,Sabhadhipati,North 24-Paraganas. The district administration officials,however,claimed that the polls were postponed in the eight gram panchayats after they received an order from the state election commission and it has nothing to do with the two villages. Not only those two villages but all the gram panchayats have been severely affected. In this condition,conducting the polls is not possible. So,as per the order issued by the state election commission,we have kept the polls in abeyance, said Apala Seth,SDO,Basirhat. Meanwhile,the state election commission appeared to be clueless about the issue. We did not receive any communication from the district administration about those villages. We have postponed polls in Sandeshkhali block II considering the magnitude of damage took place in the villages caused by the cyclone, said S N Roychowdhury,secretary,state election commission. Army opens 16 medical camps in SunderbansThe Army has opened 16 medical camps in the Aila-affected areas of Sunderbans in North and South 24 Paraganas district of West Bengal.
