Bengal floods: CM Mamata Banerjee blames centre run organisation for 'sinking' state
Times of India | 19 September 2024
NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited flood-hit areas in Panskura, Medinipur on Thursday.
She attributed the severe flooding to water released by Jharkhand and the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), a central government organization.
Banerjee stated, "This is Jharkhand that released the water, and this is DVC, a central government agency. The amount of water released has gone beyond 4 lakh cusecs.It hasn't ever happened in the past."
She highlighted measures taken by her government, including the creation of 5 lakh ponds and the construction of check dams worth Rs 5 lakh crore. She also mentioned the progress made on the Ghatal Master Plan, which had been stagnant for years.
"DVC's total capacity is only 36 percent. Why don't they want to conduct dredging and desilting? Why should Bengal sink? No dredging in Farakka--Bengal and Bihar sink. DVC doesn't dredge, and Bengal sinks. They release water towards Bengal to keep Jharkhand safe," Banerjee added.
She further explained that excess water from surrounding regions, including rainwater from Nepal and Bhutan, causes floods in North Bengal, while DVC's water releases lead to flooding in South Bengal. She expressed concern about Ganga erosion in Malda and other areas, worsened by the flooding.
The chief minister alleged that DVC's continued release of water has aggravated the situation. She warned residents to stay in safe places until the water recedes and assured that the administration would provide necessary relief.
"I'll be visiting Howrah next. I am in fear of what I've seen. I don't know if we will maintain any relationship with DVC. We will abolish our relationship with them if they keep sinking the people of Bengal," she stated.
Banerjee described the floods as a "man-made disaster" and blamed the Union Government for what she called "irresponsible" behavior. She urged immediate evacuation from flooded areas and called for more safety measures.