DVC water release leads to flood-like situation, CM unhappy
The Statesman | 4 October 2025Subsequently, a large quantity of water has also been released from the Durgapur barrage, creating a flood-like situation in several districts in the lower basin.
The barrage’s discharge was recorded at 69,425 cusecs at 3.30 p.m. today. The executive engineer, Damodar Head Works Division of the state’s irrigation department, Sanjoy Majumdar, stated: “We also had to open the gates of Left Bank Minor Canal to pass additional 1,000 cusecs as the upper dams have intensified discharge further.” The upper valley discharges elevated the barrage’s reservoir pond level to 211.60 feet against the highest designed level of 211.50 feet, which indicates the optimum upstream water level that the barrage’s crucial hydraulic structure can negotiate with.
The heavy downpour on Maha Navami and Vijaya Dashami prompted the DVC to release 32,500 cusecs of water from Panchet and Maithon dams at 4.45 p.m. on Thursday. By this morning, the discharge had been further increased to 42,500 cusecs from Maithon dam and 27,500 cusecs from Panchet dam at around 8 a.m.
At around 7 a.m. today, 59,075 cusecs of water were released from the Durgapur barrage, along with an additional 1,500 cusecs and 500 cusecs from two irrigation canals.
The water discharge from the DVC dams and barrage was carried out following the instructions of Sanjiv Kumar, member secretary of the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulatory Committee (DVRRC). Sources revealed that the state government has urged the DVRRC to reduce the discharge during the festive season.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee also took to the social media claiming the DVC further released water without any prior intimation. She rubbished the ‘sudden’ intensified discharge by the DVC.
However, DVC sources indicated that the situation would depend on two factors: the absence of further rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Jharkhand, and whether there is any additional release from the Tenughat dam.
West Burdwan district magistrate, S Ponnambalam, is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with senior state government and irrigation department officials at Nabanna.
The lower parts of West Burdwan in Durgapur sub-division, along with Bankura, East Burdwan and Hooghly districts, have been severely affected by the sudden surge of water into the Damodar river. The depression-like weather has worsened conditions, with continuous rainfall and overcast skies since yesterday.
