12 dists declared flood-hit, Mamata seeks Central aid

The Chief Minister held the Damodar Valley Corporation responsible for ‘abnormal’ release of water from their barrages, claiming this resulted in the present situation causing a huge loss of property and loss of lives, a charge denied by the DVC. After reviewing the flood situation at a high-level meeting with senior officials and holding a video conference with the district magistrates of all the affected districts, Banerjee told reporters that she had already requested the DVC authority to stop further release of water.

Banerjee said she had sought <g data-gr-id="23">appointment</g> with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her visit in Delhi on August 11 and 12 to discuss the situation and place her demands for flood damages from the National Disaster Relief Fund. “I also want to raise the issue of release of water by the DVC,” Banerjee said.

Banerjee said she had lodged a complaint with Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal over DVC’s ‘abnormal’ release of water.

“Earlier too I had written to the DVC to undertake dredging and to increase the capacity of their reservoirs, but sadly it had done nothing of the sort. We always cooperate with the DVC, but it doesn’t cooperate,” she alleged. Meanwhile, the flood situation in south Bengal on Tuesday improved slightly as a result of no rain, reduced discharge of water from the barrages and waning tides, Disaster Management Department sources said. Stating that the death toll in the flood has mounted to 83, the chief minister said 4.31 lakh people have already taken shelter in 2,449 relief camps in the 12 affected districts. Fourteen more persons died in the affected districts, taking the toll to 83, Disaster Management Department sources said, adding, incidents of <g data-gr-id="27">lightning</g>, wall collapse, electrocution, snake bite and drowning were to blame for the fatalities.