Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Friday, issued a stern letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) of causing severe floods in the state due to the release of 5 lakh cusecs of water. She expressed her concerns about the floods affecting multiple districts in South Bengal, calling the situation a “man-made disaster.”
In her letter, Banerjee blamed the floods on the “unplanned and unilateral” release of water from the Maithon and Panchat dams, which are managed by DVC. “All districts of South Bengal, including Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Bankura, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipore, and Paschim Medinipore, have been submerged, causing devastation,” she wrote.
The Chief Minister claimed that West Bengal is experiencing the worst flood in the Lower Damodar region since 2009, with over 1,000 square kilometers affected and nearly five million people suffering due to crop loss, damaged infrastructure, and homes. Banerjee referred to the flood as “man-made” due to DVC’s shift in priority from flood control to power generation, which she says has left West Bengal vulnerable.
In addition to her criticism of the DVC, Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress on the Ghatal Master Plan, a project aimed at mitigating flood risks in the region. She warned that if the “unilateral approach” by DVC continues, her government would disengage from DVC operations and withdraw West Bengal’s participation. “We cannot allow this ongoing injustice to affect our people year after year,” she stressed.
Reacting to Banerjee’s statements, Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, hit back, stating, “If Mamata Banerjee cuts ties with the DVC, eight districts will lose power. Doesn’t she realize that DVC-run power plants supply electricity to a significant portion of South Bengal?”
