Kolkata, June 7 (IANS) Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Trinamool Congress leader C.M Jatua Sunday alleged that West Bengal’s ruling Left Front government has taken no initiative to maintain the natural embankments in the Sundarbans region.
“The situation in Sundarban Islands is dangerous, especially after the cyclone Aila. Thousands of people have been rendered homeless in this deltaic region. Such disastrous situation has taken place just due to lack of maintenance work,” he said.

He said there are at least 250 points, between Sagar Island and Raydighi, where the natural embankments have been damaged severely due to the natural calamity that hit parts of coastal West Bengal May 25.

“The state irrigation department has done no work to maintain the embankments,” he said.

According to sources, the swelling sea water entered many parts of Sundarbans Island, at least in 87 points, since Saturday evening due to full-moon high tide.

Meanwhile, a five-member team of central observers Sunday monitored the situation in the mangrove-forested region. They will submit a report to the central government June 9 on the post Aila situation.

“We’re trying to send as much relief materials as possible to the flood-hit areas. But, the quantity is not sufficient. We’re trying to provide more relief to the victims,” Jatua said.

The entire Sundarbans region - areas like Gosaba, Patharpratima, Kultali, Hingalganj, Basanti, Sagar, Mousuni and others - has been ravaged by the cyclone, which left 133 people dead in its wake.

Jatua won the Lok Sabha election from Mathurapur (SC) constituency in South 24 Parganas district.