Even as the flood situation worsened in large parts of South Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday dashed off a strong letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding central Government institutions responsible for what she called a "man madeflood" and threatening to snap her State's ties with the Damodar Valley Corporation.
Alleging "unplanned and unilateral release of water" water the Chief Minister wrote, "The state is now facing the biggest floods in Lower Damodar and adjoining areas after 2009. l earnestlyrequest that you give this matter serious consideration and direct the concerned ministries to address these issues as top priority, including the sanction and release of substantial central funds to undertake extensive flood management works in the interest of people, who suffer the most."
Alleging that the DVC had released about 5 lakh cusecs of water in a short span of time affecting about 1000 square kms of area without informing her State Banerjee wrote in her four-page letter that, "If this unilateral approach continues, bringing hardship to the people of my state, we will be left with no option but to disengage entirely from DVC and withdraw our participation. We cannot allow this ongoing injustice to affect our people year after year." The Chief Minister has also asked for funds to tackle the "man made" floods in Bengal.
"I flagged this issue during the NITI Aayog meeting. Unfortunately, no visible action has been taken on the ground," and the "situation has further worsened." Banerjee wrote.
She alleged that, the DVC had not been paying its primary attention on flood control and was concentrating more on power generation. "DVC appears to have shifted focus from its primary objective of flood control in the Damodar River, as mandated by law, to power generation, disregarding its social obligations. This shift has sacrificed the interests of the downstream of West Bengal," she said.
Banerjee had been touring the flood affected areas for the past couple of days. Large parts of Birbhum, Hooghly, Burdwan, Howrah, East Mdnapore and West Midnapore had been inundated by the sudden release of water, she alleged.
Regarding her threat to snap ties with the DVC Bengal Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari said that Banerjee's decision to snap ties with the DVC will affect Bengal the most as about 8 districts would go without power. "Mamata Banerjee is threatening DVC but if she snaps the ties 8 districts will go without power … she has herself not been able to construct a single power plant … and now threatening to snap relationship with DVC … we dare her to do so," Adhikari said.
Meeting locals in Hooghly and West Midnapore districts Banerjee said that most of the water had been released from Panchet and Maithon dams in Jharkhand. "I have raised this issue with the Jharkhand Government too … I have been told that this was done to save the areas in Jharkhand … I have no problem in saving the interests of other States … but this does not mean that Bengal's interest will be sacrificed … why should Bengal suffer every year … and year after year … despite repeated requests they neither dredge the river beds or take any measure for desiltating the rivers and we suffer as a result … this must stop," Banerjee said.
