CM demands compensation from Bhutan
The Statesman | 15 October 2025Speaking at a flood relief camp at Nagrakata during her visit to the affected areas, Ms Banerjee said: “Waters from Bhutan have inundated large parts of this region, destroying homes and crops and claiming several lives. The Bhutan authorities should provide compensation for the losses caused by this flooding.”
She said that the state government, in its own limited capacity, has been carrying out relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation work across the affected regions. “The Centre has not given even a single paisa so far. Since the flooding occurred due to water released from Bhutan, it is their responsibility to compensate the victims,” the Chief minister asserted.
Miss Banerjee also drew attention to the damage caused by dolomite deposits carried by floodwaters from Bhutan, which have destroyed farmlands across the Dooars. She instructed administrative officials to collect and utilise the dolomite deposits from riverbeds and nearby areas so that the recovered materials could be used for financial assistance and to support ongoing disaster management efforts.
The chief minister said that a high-level meeting would be held on 16 October to discuss the issue of recurring floods from Bhutan, following pressure from the Bengal government. “We have long been demanding that the Centre constitute an Indo-Bhutan River Commission and include Bengal as a member. Our state representative will attend the upcoming meeting,” she said.
During her visit, Miss Banerjee handed over 10 appointment letters for Special Home Guard positions to family members of those who lost their lives in the floods ~ eight from Nagrakata and two from Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar. She reminded that her government has already released Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased — both from the plains and from hill regions hit by landslides.
Miss Banerjee also inspected the community kitchen at the relief camp, interacted with affected families, and assured them that a temporary bridge over the river at Nagrakata had been completed and was now open for use. She urged residents to report the loss of important documents such as Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and ration cards at the assistance booths operating within the camp so that duplicate copies could be issued promptly.
During her interaction with a woman from Gayerkata, belonging to the minority community, the chief minister was informed that students in the area could not continue their education beyond primary level due to the absence of a secondary school nearby. Responding to the concern, Ms Banerjee assured that she would speak to the education minister to initiate the up gradation of the existing primary school to a secondary school.
Before leaving the camp, the chief minister distributed chocolates among schoolchildren and then proceeded to visit other flood-affected areas in Jalpaiguri.
Later, she said that she would travel to Kurseong via Chalsa, where she would halt for the night. Tomorrow, Miss Banerjee is scheduled to visit Mirik to attend another relief camp before heading to Darjeeling to chair a review meeting on 15 October.
On her way to Chalsa, the chief minister handed over relief kits to Dhupguri MLA Dr Nirmal Roy for distribution among the affected families in Dhupguri and Maynaguri areas.
