CM Mamata Banerjee Calls Out 'Man-Made Flood' in South Bengal in Letter to PM Modi

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting severe floods in South Bengal caused by unplanned water release from DVC dams. The flood affected over 1,000 square kilometers and nearly 5 million people, causing extensive damage. Banerjee urged urgent action and better dam management.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flagging severe flooding in South Bengal. The affected districts include Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Bankura, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, and Paschim Medinipur. Banerjee cited an unprecedented, unplanned release of nearly 5 lakh cusec of water from the Maithon and Panchet dams by DVC as the primary cause, plunging the region into devastating floods, impacting common people significantly.

This massive discharge has resulted in what Banerjee described as 'the biggest flood in Lower Damodar & adjoining areas after 2009,' affecting over 1,000 square kilometers and nearly 5 million people. The Chief Minister highlighted substantial crop loss, damage to public infrastructure, and destruction of homes and livestock. She emphasized that the state government is working diligently on relief operations, including evacuating residents to safer shelters.

During her visits to the flood-affected areas, Banerjee witnessed widespread misery and unprecedented property and infrastructure damage. She attributed the floods to the 'unplanned and uncoordinated release of water' by the DVC, terming it a 'man-made flood' caused by negligence. Despite state government warnings about rising water levels, the DVC increased water discharge from 90,000 cusec to 2,50,000 cusec within hours, exacerbating the situation.

Banerjee called for improved dam management, arguing that better planning could have mitigated the people's suffering. She noted that the combined storage capacity of the Maithon and Panchet dams had dropped by 30% due to siltation, urging urgent government intervention. Criticizing DVC for prioritizing power generation over flood control, she also raised concerns regarding the stalled Ghatal Master Plan, leaving the region vulnerable.

In her letter, Banerjee warned that continued unilateral actions might force the state to disengage from DVC. She urged the Prime Minister to take her concerns seriously and called for the release of funds for flood management to support the affected population.

(With inputs from agencies.)