Centre urges power utilities to muster manpower for cyclone-ravaged Bengal
NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: The Centre has asked its power utilities NTPC and POWERGRID to mobilise additional manpower and make them available to the West Bengal government to help restore power supply in the state.
Union power minister R K Singh sent out this message to central power utilities on Monday while taking stock of progress in power restoration in Cyclone Amphan-hit Bengal and Odisha.
The Centre has extended all help with regard to manpower and assistance to the two states to restore power supply and telecom network on priority basis. “We will remain in touch with the West Bengal government to provide them whatever help is necessary,” Singh said in a video conference.
Participating in the video-con, Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha said restoration work was in progress in Kolkata and the districts. The Odisha government has sent 40 teams to help KMC clear fallen trees from city roads. Five columns of the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) too are helping the state in the task.
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), presided over by Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, met for the fifth time on Monday to take stock of restoration work in Amphan-hit districts. He advised that complete power connectivity, telecom service and drinking water supply be restored on priority basis.
