Mamata air-dashed to Darjeeling to assess the situation at Bijanbari bridge collapse-announced compensations

Kolkata/Siliguri, Oct 23 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today air-dashed to Darjeeling to assess the situation at Bijanbari, where a bridge collapse yesterday took 32 lives and injured more than 100 and announced Rs two lakh each to the families of those killed in the accident.

The Chief Minister accompanied by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, will visit North Bengal Medical College and Hospital to meet the injured people and then move straight to Bijanbari where rescue operation is still on looking for survivors.

North Bengal Development Minister Goutam Dev visited North Bengal Medical College and Hospital where more than a dozon injured were admitted in serious condition.

Mr Dev said initially there were shortages in the supply of blood but the problem was later sorted out by some NGOs which donated blood.

He said the government would bear all the medical expenses of the victims.

Inspector General of Police, North Bengal, Daniel Tsering Lepcha told UNI today so far 32 people were killed and nearly 100 injured when a wooden suspension bridge collapsed, hurling some 150 people nearly 60-foot down into river Rangit at 1830 hours last evening.

However, unconfirmed sources put the toll at 34.

Mamata announces compensations

 Darjeeling/ Siliguri, Oct 23: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced a slew of compensation ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,00,000 for the dead and injured in the bridge collapse at Bijanbari, while the toll in the saturday's incident rose to 33.

Ms Banerjee, who along with Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi and Union Minister for Health Sudip Bandopadhyay, said the incident was very unfortunate and government's announcement of monetary compensation was only on humanitarian ground.

The chief minister announced Rs 2,00,000 for the bereaved families, Rs 50,000 for seriously hurt, and Rs 25,000 for minor injury.

Besides these, the goverment will also bear the expenses of people admitted to differnt hospitals, she added.

Ms Banerjee visited the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital and after that she drove to Darjeeling to take a stock of the condition there.

Gorkha Janamukti Morcha president Vimal Gurung said the toll in bridge collapse incident at Bijanbari, connected to Chongtong and some 40 kms south of Darjeeling town, rose to 33 and many were still missing.

However, Inspector General of Police, North Bengal, Daniel Tsering Lepcha told UNI earlier in the day that 32 people were killed so far and 108 injured when a suspension wooden bridge collapsed, hurling some 150 people nearly 60-foot down into Rangit river at 1830 hrs on Saturday evening.

He said the details of the casualties were yet to be compiled officially due to logistical reasons.
--UNI