A day after rain-triggered landslides hit North Bengal, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the Central government for the situation while pointing out that 40 hydropower projects have been built on the Teesta in Sikkim even as she asked ‘where will that water drain?’

Banerjee on Monday reiterated her criticism of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), accusing it of “unilateral and wilful” release of water from its reservoirs and declaring that the state “doesn’t need dams” while blaming the Centre for its alleged lack of response in dredging operations of the rivers at several critical points.

The CM in a post on X said: “In Sikkim, they have built 40 hydropower projects on the Teesta; where will that water drain? It is coming to Siliguri, Matigara, and Kalimpong. We are facing the problems, while they are earning money.”

“If the Central government did its job of dredging of the Ganga-Hugli river at several critical points, and if DVC did its desiltation works which it is not wilfully doing…our people would have been spared of the man-made flood that we are facing in large tracts of North and South Bengal in this season. Our own irrigation works and check dams have been useful in arresting the damages in many areas,” she said.

Warning against high tides, she said, “And I want to warn everyone here, on the 7 and 8 (October), there will be high tides. Because of DVC’s Panchet and Maithon releases, waterlogging has occurred in Ghatal, which is a low-lying area. The Ghatal Master Plan has not been implemented even 20 years after the Centre promised it, so we are doing it ourselves. But even if that is completed, as long as DVC keeps releasing water like this, we will need another way to deal with it.”

Before leaving for North Bengal on a two-day visit to oversee the flood situation, the CM while addressing the media said, “I am tired of saying this for the past 20 years. Mython, DVC, Panchet: they don’t even have the capacity to hold water. Then what’s the point of keeping them? It would have been better if we didn’t have them. The water would have entered naturally and flowed out, everyone could have shared the pressure equally. But now we are facing the consequences, especially North Bengal. They are releasing water through the Durgapur Barrage, and the force of the water is destroying bridges and everything in its path.”

Sharing her visit details in the post on X, she said: “Today we are leaving for North Bengal. I will be staying there for two days to see rescue and restoration works. Ministers and public representatives have been sent and mobilised in different affected parts of North Bengal…”

She further added, “Police and administration are doing rescue and restoration operations in all affected areas. Community kitchens have been opened, distressed people are being given all-out support. Tourists are being safely evacuated…”

Regarding compensation, she said, “While death cannot be compensated, we shall give Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased, and a Special Homeguard’s job to kin of the deceased.”

Slamming the Central government, she said, “The money they use for vote rigging, to politically manipulate the Election Commission, they have stopped Bengal’s funds for floods, roads, housing, everything. Even though GST was implemented, which we supported for the people, we have suffered a loss of Rs 20,000 crore. The Centre owes us Rs 1.85 lakh crore. Add another Rs 20,000 crore to that. Where will we get the money from?”

DVC releases 55,000 cusecs of water, triggers flood concern

Kolkata: The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released 55,000 cusecs of water from its Maithon and Panchet reservoirs, raising fresh flood concerns in the southern districts of Bengal.State Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia claimed the DVC is releasing water every day without any coordination with his government. Bhunia said there is no fixed “safe level” for DVC water release, as the risk of flooding depends on several factors, including discharge volume and the rivers’ current capacity to carry water. —PTI