Delhi, May 6
India asked the United Nations today to take over financial responsibility for the relief of millions of Bengali refugees who have crossed the frontier into India from war-torn East Pakistan.

Mr. R. K. Khadilkar, Minister for Labour and Rehabilitation, who is in charge of the newly established refugee camps along the border, said six million to seven million refugees are expected to have arrived in India within the next few weeks.

According to official statistics. 1,481,000 people from East Bengal have already crossed into the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. Mr. Khadilkar estimated that with the millions more expected the bill for food, medicines and other relief might add up to £25m. a month.

The minister said that three representatives of the United Nations Commission for Refugees, who arrived in Delhi today. would discuss the problem with the Government and assess the amount of relief required. Most of the refugees had crossed the frontier with no material means, often with nothing but the clothes in which they stood.

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Delhi. May 6.—A cholera epidemic was reported today to have claimed seven lives in refugee camps in Meghalaya state. There are some 15,000 refugees in the disease-affected areas, the reports said.—Agence France Prese.
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