Updated on Tuesday, June 02, 2009, 21:11 IST

Taki (WB), June 02: With the possibilities of fresh flooding in cyclone-battered areas being high due to 'full Moon high tide' in the next two days, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday asked the state irrigation department to repair breached embankments on a war-footing.

"We have to ensure that there is no seepage of water through breached embankments further due to high tide which may occur on June 5 and continue till June 6 or 7," he said.

Bhattacharjee told reporters after a visit to two relief camps that he had asked irrigation department engineers to oversee repair of a total 400-km stretch of breached embankments.

The Chief Minister visited cyclone victims at Sarberia relief camp in Sandeshkhali and later another camp at Hingalganj in North 24-Parganas district during the day.

He said that repair of damaged embankments would not be done by the contractors. "Irrigation engineers must oversee the job and it should be done by villagers. They will be paid under the NREGA scheme."

Pointing out that time was "too short", the Chief Minister said, "We won't be able to plug all the breaches. We have to fight and do the job as much as possible."

Bureau Report