Declare devastation in Uttarakhand national disaster: CPI(M)

KOLKATA: The CPI(M) today demanded that the Centre declare the devastation in rain-battered Uttarakhand as a national disaster.

"Considering the immense loss of life and property in Uttarakhand, particularly in Kedarnath and Chamoli, we demand that the government declare the devastation as a national disaster," CPI(M) politburo member Biman Bose said in a statement.

He also demanded relief and rehabilitation of the lakhs of affected people in the hill state.

Stating that with its limited capacity the party would like to offer help to the distressed, he asked all party units in West Bengal to raise funds for the affected.