Raid Hotels Where Carcasses of Cattle Killed During Cyclone Are Being Sold: Mamata Tells Officials

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed top police officials in the state to increase vigilance and conduct raids in areas where carcasses of cattle killed during Cyclone Yaas could be getting sold to hotels and restaurants.

“There are people who sell the meat of dead animals to hotels and restaurants. Later these are sold to customers. Earlier, we had busted one such racket. Check the places and find out whether they are being stored and sold. Seize them and take immediate action. Cremate the carcasses,” the chief minister was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Concerned over the extent of damage due to frequent cyclones, Banerjee had last week formed a task force to chalk out ‘natural ways’ to save embankments from natural calamities in future.

While having an administrative meeting to take stock of the post ‘Yaas’ situation, she said, “Every year cyclones are happening here. Bengal became the most affected State by the cyclone. It is causing a huge loss to the State exchequer. Today more than 138 embankments were damaged. It is not possible to build or repair embankments every year. I think we have to think out of the box. We have dealt with the problem differently and innovatively. I would like to request all to come forward with their innovative ideas so that we can reduce the extent of damage during such natural calamities.”

She said that the sectors like agriculture, electricity, fishery, animal husbandry, horticulture were the worst affected due to Cyclone ‘Yaas’. “The task force will assess the actual damage only after the field survey. Total 15 lakh people were evacuated. More than 1 crore people were affected by Cyclone ‘Yaas’,” she said while thanking nearly 3 lakh rescue and relief workers who are deployed at various places in Bengal to assist the affected people.

Banerjee instructed all the district officials to keep a close watch on the block level relief operation so that no one should be deprived of any kind of assistance provided by the State government. She also asked the district officials to provide adequate drinking water and food to all the affected people.

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