Mamata visits gutted Kolkata slum, promises to rebuild shanties

West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee on Thursday visited a gutted slum in northKolkata's Bagbazar area and assured the dwellers that theirshanties will be rebuilt by her government.

The forensic unit of Kolkata Police collected samplesfrom the Hazari Bustee which was reduced to ashes in a blazeon Wednesday evening, rendering around 700 people homeless.

The chief minister sought a quick report fromofficials concerned on the cause of the fire, a seniorgovernment officer said.

During her visit, Banerjee said that affected peoplewill be provided with food and shelter till their shantieswere rebuilt.

She promised each family five kg of rice, lentils,vegetables and milk for children.

''You will stay at the Bagbazar Women's College tillyour residences are rebuilt,'' Banerjee told the slum dwellers.

She asked state minister and local MLA Shashi Panja toensure that an adequate number of blankets are provided tothem.

Leaders of other political parties also visited thearea since morning and spoke with the affected people.

Meanwhile, forensic experts went to the gutted slumand collected samples from there as part of the investigationto find out the cause of the fire.

A portion of the 'Sarada Maayer Bari' (house of MaaSarada, the spiritual consort of Ramakrishna Paramhansa) hasalso been damaged in the blaze.

''We have also have collected samples from insideSarada Mayer Bari. All these samples will be sent forexamination to find out what went wrong,'' a senior officer ofthe Kolkata Police's forensic team said.

The police are also planning to acquire CCTV footagefrom the area.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)