Man-made floods: Mamata to write to PM Modi over DVC's 'indifference'
Kolkata: Upping her ante against the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for "inhumanely" releasing more than 10 lakh cusec water in just three days without any prior intimation, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday termed the creation of man-made flood in Bengal to be "a criminal offence" and added that compensation would be sought from the Corporation for the losses that the state is facing for the second time due to floods in the past two months.
Taking an aerial survey of the eight flood-affected South Bengal districts, Banerjee condemned the indifferent attitude of the DVC in carrying out the dredging of reservoirs at Tenughat, Mython and Panchet to increase water holding capacity by another 2 lakh cusec and announced of writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a comprehensive plan to avoid repeated "man-made" floods in the state as Bengal is withstanding four to five floods in a year just because of the DVC's actions. She also urged the Jharkhand government to take up the issue with the Centre.
Taking a jibe at Union Home minister Amit Shah, she said: "Union Home minister can send Human Rights Commission to the state and thousands of Central police for a small election. He can also even threaten bureaucrats by summoning them repeatedly (to Delhi). Then why can't you release funds when DVC's indifference causes havoc to the state? Bengal was also deprived of any financial support at the time of Cyclone Yaas and Super Cyclone Amphan."
Banerjee on Saturday took an aerial survey of the areas, including Udaynarayanpur and Amta in Howrah, Khanakul and Arambagh in Hooghly, Patashpur and Dashpur in East Midnapore, Nanoor in Birbhum, Ghatal in West Midnapore, Barjora and Sonamukhi in Bankura and Ausgram and Ketugram in East Burdwan. She also spoke to the affected people at Arambagh and enquired them about the relief materials, including food and clothes. State Labour minister Becharam Manna, MP Aparupa Poddar and other MLAs were also present at Arambagh. The Chief Minister held a high-level meeting at Nabanna after returning from there.
Banerjee said: "DVC releases water whenever there is heavy rainfall in Jharkhand and Bengal gets flooded that claims lives besides damaging houses and crops. This (releasing water without any intimation) is a criminal offence. We have decided to seek compensation (from DVC). We always find that the release of water leads to man-made floods. Incidentally, they (DVC authorities and the Centre) remain seated with leukoplast on their mouths as a mere spectator. You cannot always underestimate us and the people of Bengal.
She also urged the Jharkhand government to take up the issue with the Centre.
Taking a jibe at Union Home minister Amit Shah, she said: "Union Home minister can send Human Rights Commission to the state and thousands of Central police for a small election. He can also even threaten bureaucrats by summoning them repeatedly (to Delhi). Then why can't you release funds when DVC's indifference causes havoc to the state? Bengal was also deprived of any financial support at the time of Cyclone Yaas and Super Cyclone Amphan."
Banerjee on Saturday took an aerial survey of the areas, including Udaynarayanpur and Amta in Howrah, Khanakul and Arambagh in Hooghly, Patashpur and Dashpur in East Midnapore, Nanoor in Birbhum, Ghatal in West Midnapore, Barjora and Sonamukhi in Bankura and Ausgram and Ketugram in East Burdwan. She also spoke to the affected people at Arambagh and enquired them about the relief materials, including food and clothes. State Labour minister Becharam Manna, MP Aparupa Poddar and other MLAs were also present at Arambagh. The Chief Minister held a high-level meeting at Nabanna after returning from there.
Banerjee said: "DVC releases water whenever there is heavy rainfall in Jharkhand and Bengal gets flooded that claims lives besides damaging houses and crops. This (releasing water without any intimation) is a criminal offence. We have decided to seek compensation (from DVC). We always find that the release of water leads to man-made floods. Incidentally, they (DVC authorities and the Centre) remain seated with leukoplast on their mouths as a mere spectator. You cannot always underestimate us and the people of Bengal. Such release of water damages embankments and bridges and none other than the DVC has to shoulder the responsibility."
Banerjee hit out at the DVC for pushing the people of Bengal into such a devastating situation with only a few days to go for the Durga Puja and said that her government has taken requisite measures to avoid loss of lives and property. Already 5 lakh people have been evacuated.
Mentioning that her government is carrying out dredging work at Lower Damodar basin at a cost of Rs 2,200 crore, she maintained: "How many times can a state withstand the consequences of man-made floods in a year? I will write to the Prime Minister and would request him to take serious note of it so that Bengal does not get deprived repeatedly."
Giving a detailed data on the release of water from the DVC's reservoirs, Banerjee said the Corporation had released 1.12 lakh cusec water during the flood in July end and this time, it was above 10 lakh cusec. "The comparison only shows how worse the situation is this time. On the day of bypoll in Bhabanipur (September 30), the DVC released 49,000 cusec at 12 from Mython and again 1 lakh cusec at 1 pm followed by another major release of 1.25 lakh cusec water at 8.30 pm. At the same time, the Jharkhand government also released 80,000 cusec water from its reservoirs at 3 am when people were asleep. On October 1, they had released 1.50 lakh cusec and 1.25 lakh cusec water. They had released 2 lakh cusec water on Saturday. A total of 10 lakh cusec water was released."
The CM added: "Jharkhand is our good neighbour and we would request them to undertake dredging in their dams as well."
The DVC authorities, however, brushed aside the allegation of not giving prior intimation to the state government about the release of water.
