Amidst devastating flood situation across Tripura, the state has sufficient stock of all essential food items and fuel products including petrol and diesel and there is no situation for panic.

Addressing a press conference at Civil Secretariat on Friday afternoon, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury accompanied by Director of Food department, Nirmal Adhikari said that after massive rainfall and flood since August 19 across Tripura disrupting state’s road and rail communications triggering fear of a crisis of essential commodities, but in reality there are no shortages of any essential commodities and at present Tripura have sufficient stock of all essential items including nine days stock of petrol and diesel.

Clarifying the present situation of the surface connectivity and stock of the state, the Minister said that the National Highway which has suffered some damages during heavy rainfall and now, the damage portion of NH has been partially repaired for vehicles carrying goods towards the state and department is in continuous touch with Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Indian Oil to maintain the normal supply. He added that at present the state has sufficient stock of all essential items and the government will not tolerate any kind of hoarding.

Meanwhile, in order to control artificial hike in prices of all essential items and also to monitor the crowded situation in all markets amidst panic like situation after rain triggered massive flood across Tripura, the Sadar sub divisional administration has continued their raids and monitoring all big markets including the MG Bazar of the capital city.

He said that after a meeting with traders, they assured that considering the present disaster situation, they will maintain prices of all essential items. The department   has also issued strict warning against all errant traders and if they adopt any illegal measures to sell their goods with high rates, then administration will impose Disaster Management Act and will take action as per the law, said Chowdhury.

Chowdhury also said that their meeting with officials and authorities of Merchant Association was fruitful and hoped that there will be no hoarding of essential items and reassured that there is no situation for panic over supply of all essential items including fuel products.

Meanwhile, addressing another press meet at Civil Secretariat on Friday afternoon, Agriculture and Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said there have been extensive crop damages specially early and late Kharif crops due to the flood in all eight districts of the state. As per preliminary estimates, around 68,826 hectares of crop land area destroyed and agriculture products approximate worth of Rs. 531.25 crore has been damaged and still 1,5 lakh hectare paddy under submerged condition causing full and partial damages to the crops.

Nath said that due to heavy rainfall and flood situation, about 3, 19,773 power consumers were affected and till now,  a total of  1603 poles broken and 501 transformers,  642 km conductors, 2 sub-stations were damaged. He said that so far the Power department has suffered a loss of Rs 9.2 crore and to restore the normal power supply across , altogether 111 groups are working round the clock.

He said that Tripura has witnessed such devastating rain and flood after many decades and till today, Power department workers are unable to restore normal power supply in some areas of Gomati and South Tripura district as these areas are still in inundated condition.