In AILA country, government relief has been given political colour. In remote parts of West Bengal, where thousands of people affected by the cyclone are awaiting relief material, the government relief camps are being run by cadres of the CPI(M), Trinamool and RSP. This has led to increasing number of clashes between supporters of the parties over control of the supply chain. Caught in the middle are the hapless cyclone victims.

At a camp in Rangabelia in the worst-hit Gosaba block, around 3,000 people are served one meal a day at the high school. “We are in charge here. We are providing relief, repairing the embankment and helping people,” said Abhijit Patra, the RSP’s block youth secretary. “When we are doing everything what is the need for government officials?”

At another camp in Rangabelia Dakshin, Trinamool supporters are running the show. Around 3,000 villagers have taken shelter in an open field. “We are getting grains, pulses, potatoes from the government. But the quantity is inadequate. In the past seven days we got just 35 quintals of grains and potatoes,” said local Trinamool leader Suman Mondal. “I am taking extra material on credit from shopkeepers. When MP Mukul Roy and Zilla Parishad chairperson Shamima Khatoun visited us, I told them to arrange more relief materials. But that has not happened.”

Calculations based on figures from the BDO office show that the Government has so far distributed only about 13-24 grams of rice per person in this block.

“The government officials are inactive here so we had to take responsibility,” said Mondol. “We are also sending relief to three areas under Pakhiralaya as it is CPI(M)-controlled. We got considerable votes in these three places and so the CPI(M) is depriving our people of relief materials.”

... contd.