India’s West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the recent floods in the state a “man-made disaster,” attributing the severe situation to the excessive release of water by Jharkhand and the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
During her visit to flood-hit areas in Panskura, Medinipur on Thursday, she criticized both entities for their handling of the water release, which she claims has worsened the flooding crisis.
Mamata stated: “This is Jharkhand that released the water, and this is DVC, a central government agency. The amount of water released has gone beyond 4 lakh cusecs. It hasn’t ever happened in the past.”
Mamata described the floods as a “man-made disaster” and blamed the Union Government for what she called “irresponsible” behavior. She urged immediate evacuation from flooded areas and called for more safety measures.
She highlighted measures taken by her government, including the creation of half a million ponds and the construction of check dams worth around $60 million. She also mentioned the progress made on the Ghatal Master Plan, which had been stagnant for years.
“DVC’s total capacity is only 36%. Why don’t they want to conduct dredging and desilting? Why should Bengal sink? No dredging in Farakka--Bengal and Bihar sink. DVC doesn’t dredge, and Bengal sinks. They release water towards Bengal to keep Jharkhand safe,” Mamata added.
She further explained that excess water from surrounding regions, including rainwater from Nepal and Bhutan, causes floods in North Bengal, while DVC’s water releases lead to flooding in South Bengal. She expressed concern about Ganga erosion in Malda and other areas, worsened by the flooding.
The chief minister alleged that DVC’s continued release of water has aggravated the situation. She warned residents to stay in safe places until the water recedes and assured that the administration would provide necessary relief.
