Mamata hands Rs 5L ex-gratia to kin of flood victims, calls North Bengal deluge ‘man-made’

Kolkata/Jalpaiguri: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday handed over cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of 23 people who died in one of the worst natural disasters in North Bengal in recent times, while personally touring flood and landslide-hit areas to assess the damage and direct relief operations.

Arriving at Hasimara Air Force Station by helicopter around 1:40 pm, Banerjee travelled by road to several affected areas, including Telipara, Looksan Mor and Nagrakata, where she met families of the deceased, distributed compensation cheques and inspected damaged bridges, roads and relief camps. At Looksan, she handed cheques to four families who had suffered major losses.

The Chief Minister said 23 people had died so far—18 in the hills of Darjeeling, Mirik and Kalimpong, and five in Nagrakata—while over 500 stranded tourists had been rescued. She announced that one member from each bereaved family would be offered a job as a special Home Guard, and that the government would bear hotel expenses for tourists still stranded in the hills. She added that one tourist from Diamond Harbour was still missing and that search operations were underway.

Banerjee instructed district administrations to expedite the repair of roads, embankments and houses, and to coordinate with local authorities for reissuing lost documents through special camps. Officials briefed her that the Nagrakata BDO office and local police station were heavily waterlogged, with road connectivity cut off in several areas. She said that state minister Aroop Biswas and North Bengal Trinamool leader Gautam Deb had been sent to Dhupguri to oversee relief operations and monitor the situation.

Calling the flooding a “man-made disaster,” Banerjee blamed inadequate desiltation of Farakka, Maithon, Panchet and Durgapur barrages and the sudden release of water from Bhutan and Sikkim for worsening the situation. She said over 300 mm of rain fell in just 12 hours on Saturday night and that water from Bhutan and Sikkim inundated areas like Nagrakata, Mirik, Dhupguri, Matigara, Alipurduar, Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

The Chief Minister reiterated her long-standing demand for the creation of an Indo-Bhutan River Commission to manage trans-boundary river flow. “I have appealed repeatedly to the Centre, but there has been no response. North Bengal cannot bear repeated floods without such a mechanism,” she said, adding that 14 hydel projects in Sikkim lacked proper water-holding capacity, worsening downstream floods.

Banerjee said the state police had set up community kitchens for displaced residents and that relief camps were being run round-the-clock. She confirmed that the state government had not received any special financial assistance from the Centre and that the State Disaster Response Force, Civil Defence units and police were working continuously in the affected areas.

Inspecting the damaged Looksan Bridge in Nagrakata, Banerjee directed engineers to begin immediate repair work and announced that a temporary bridge would be constructed within a year to restore connectivity. Her convoy later travelled through Banarhat, Gairkata, Dhupguri, Maynaguri and Jalpaiguri before reaching Siliguri.

During her visit, a local girl informed the Chief Minister about her missing mother, prompting immediate intervention from the police.

Meanwhile, parts of South Bengal, including areas under Ghatal and Amta blocks, also faced flooding after the Silabati River crossed the danger level. A sluice gate breach near Solbaga in Amta led to water entering nearby villages. Engineers from the Irrigation and Waterways Department, accompanied by Amta MLA Sukanta Paul, rushed to the spot and took urgent measures to contain the situation.

Banerjee also warned of possible high tides on October 7 and 8 and urged residents in low-lying areas to prioritise safety. She said the government would ensure food and shelter for those affected.

Banerjee’s visit to North Bengal, which came amid continuous rainfall and swollen rivers, drew large crowds of residents who gathered to meet her despite the difficult conditions. Her presence, officials said, brought reassurance to the affected population and renewed focus on long-term flood management in the region.