Kolkata, May 26 The death toll due to havoc caused by cyclone 'Aila' in West Bengal has increased to 60. The highest number of deaths occurred in South 24 Parganas district followed by North 24 Parganas, Kolkata and Howrah.

Aila also wrecked havoc in Hooghly, Burdwan and Bankura districts of West Bengal on Monday. About 22 lakh people across the state have suffered losses, according to Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty.

The state government has released Rs.1 crore for rescue and relief so far. Eighteen hundred tonne of rice and one-lakh tarpaulins have been requisitioned for the purpose.

The ruling Left Front Government in Bengal seems to have finally woken up to the demands of the people after the crushing defeat in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.

In an effort to regain contact with the common man, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today personally visited a relief camp in Nimpith Panchayat under Joynagar Block in South 24 Parganas district, and assured the victims of all government support.

One of the major criticisms, which emerged against Left leaders after the poll debacle, was on their growing inaccessibility and loss of contact from the grass root levels.

Bhattacharjee's visit to the village camp is being seem as an effort to assure the people that the ruling Left Front has not abandoned them.

The worst affected South 24 Parganas' district administration has set up over 250 relief camps to accommodate those who have lost their home and hearth to high speed winds and high tides in the Sunderbans delta area.

The Chief Minister asked the victims not to worry about their lost homes, and promised them that money to rebuild homes would be made available within a few days time.

Bhattacharjee has assured that 57 tonne of dry food would be dispatched to the district expeditiously.

He advised the victims in the camp to keep an eye on their children and ensure that all got proper food. The rest, he said would be taken care of by the government. By Ajitha Menon (ANI)