West Bengal government offers Rs 2 lakhs compensation and jobs to families of electrocution victims

Announcing compensation of Rs 2 lakhs to the families of the deceased, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that Bengal government will provide jobs to the next kin of the deceased persons who died due to electrocution yesterday, if CESC does not offer jobs to them. At least ten people have died in Bengal, with 8 in Kolkata, due to electrocution following torrential rains on Monday night to Tuesday morning.

During a Durga Puja inauguration at her own Assembly constituency Bhawanipur, Banerjee said, “The state government will provide Rs 2 lakh to all the families, whose kin died due to electrocution. Money cannot replace lives. However, if CESC does not provide jobs, we will ensure employment is given to the family members and jobs of the Home Guard can be given.”

She also urged CESC to provide Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families, as “the deaths occurred due to their negligence.”


“The amount of rain was more than in 1978. This kind of rain had never happened earlier. Global calamities of this nature are witnessed in all national cities, Delhi, Mumbai and now in Kolkata. Incidents of cloudburst happened in Himachal and Uttarakhand. It is raining as if there is no end to the monsoon,” Banerjee said.

“There was hightide till yesterday. I worked round the clock from Monday. However, people’s civic sense should increase and awareness should be there. Plastics are often thrown into the drains and the drains get clogged, Banerjee said.

“Water levels have receded significantly, although the Ganga experienced substantial flooding. Except for a few low-lying areas, most of the water has drained. Nature is beyond our control. For those who tragically lost their lives due to electrocution yesterday, the State Govt. will provide ₹2 lakh to their families. While money cannot replace lives, we will also ensure that employment is provided to the next of kin, even if CESC fails to do so,” Banerjee posted in AITC X Handle.