West Bengal: One month on, Bridge and Roof looks after Amphan-affected

KOLKATA: More than a month since super cyclone Amphan devastated Bengal, bridge and Roof is still looking after the affected villagers and their livestock in their cyclone shelters.
As the forecast of super cyclone Amphan came, extensive evacuation drive was carried out by central government PSU Bridge and Roof with the help of local block development authorities from May 18. Cyclone Amphan had struck in the evening of May 20.
Lives of around 1.5 lakh people and 20,000 livestock were saved as they were shifted to these shelters before Amphan struck.They affected people and their livestock continued to stay in the shelters after the cyclone. In the shelter at Patlikhanpur Uposhasthya Kendra at Hansnabad block of North 24-Parganas, around 300 are still staying since their houses have been completely destroyed by the cyclone.
Bridge and Roof deployed teams for felling uprooted trees and clearing them for access to remote areas. The teams also facilitated restoration of power supply of Kakdwip block. The cyclone shelters have built-up area of around 1,400 sqm. The ground floor is for livestock, with a dedicated ramp for access of livestock as-well-as differently-abled person.
The first and second floors are for those evacuated before any natural disaster. All these cyclone shelters are self-contained, with backup solar power and deep borewell for potable water. Many of the cyclone shelters were constructed amidst adverse conditions in tourism areas like Digha, Mondarmani, Tajpur, Sagar island and Bakkhali.
The shelters have been built with funds from the International Development Association (IDA), as part of the World Bank-initiated National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP). The project covers a 350km Bengal coastline. “Bridge and Roof was entrusted with the construction of 101 cyclone shelters in the districts of South 24-Parganas, North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore,” a senior official said.