242 migrant labourers from Bengal stranded in landslide-hit Wayanad: Minister

Kolkata: West Bengal Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak informed the assembly on Friday that 242 migrant labourers from the state are stranded in landslide-hit Wayanad district in Kerala.

Replying to a query by Hingalganj TMC MLA Debes Mandal, Ghatak said in the assembly that the state administration has established contact with 155 of them.

"As per our data, 242 labourers from Bengal are stranded in Wayanad district. We have established contact with 155 of them. We are trying to get in touch with others," he said.

As labourers from Bengal are highly skilled, they are always in demand in the southern state, Ghatak said.

The stranded migrant labourers are from Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Darjeeling, Paschim Medinipur, Murshidabad and Birbhum districts of West Bengal, he said.

If the labourers wish to return from the affected area, the state administration will arrange transportation and look after their well-being, the minister said.

Ghatak also said altogether 21,59,737 migrant labourers from West Bengal have gone to different states in the country.

Of them, 3,65,123 have gone to different parts of Kerala.

Altogether 205 people died and 264 were injured in the massive landslides that hit Wayanad district early on July 30.

Additionally, 130 body parts were also recovered, according to the Kerala Health Department.

With nearly 200 people still missing, the death toll is expected to go up.