Kolkata, September 22 – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for urgent central assistance, as the state grapples with widespread flooding affecting 5 million people. In a letter dated September 20, Banerjee emphasized the need for immediate central funds to tackle the devastation caused by the floods, which have inundated multiple districts.
The Chief Minister placed blame on the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for releasing water from its reservoirs without proper consultation with the state government. Banerjee claimed that water releases by DVC were done without sufficient notice, leading to the inundation of several regions.
In a previous letter, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil had responded to similar concerns raised by Banerjee, assuring her that West Bengal’s officials were informed at every stage of the water releases from the DVC reservoirs. He explained that these actions were coordinated through the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC), which includes representatives from the Central Water Commission (CWC), West Bengal, Jharkhand, and the DVC itself.
However, Banerjee remains critical of the process, stating in her most recent letter, “While the hon’ble minister claims that the release from DVC dams was carried out by consensus and collaboration… I may respectfully disagree.” She argued that the decisions were made unilaterally by the CWC and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, without fully considering the state’s input.
The Chief Minister also highlighted a particular instance when a peak release of water from the DVC reservoirs lasted for nine hours, with only 3.5 hours’ notice to the state, which she said was insufficient for effective disaster management.
Minister Paatil clarified that from September 14 to 17, at the request of West Bengal officials, the release of water from the Maithon and Panchet reservoirs was reduced by 50 percent due to heavy rainfall. Despite these efforts, Banerjee has reiterated her call for swift central aid to mitigate the ongoing damage caused by the floods.
With water levels still high and thousands displaced, the state government is pushing for immediate relief from the central government to accelerate recovery efforts. The ongoing dispute over water management and flood control between the state and central authorities has heightened tensions as West Bengal faces one of its most severe flood situations in recent years.
Sources By Agencies
