‘If DVC stopped releasing water,flood situation would improve’

He said relief camps have been set up at every gram panchayat to tackle the situation. “Thousands of people are still stranded. We have put up camps. Government schools are being used as flood shelters. The toll has not crossed 17 and a new set of relief items such as tarpaulin,parched rice,pulses,medicine and water have been sent.”

On reports of diarrhoea and gastro enteritis outbreaks,the minister said no case has come up so far but anticipates an epidemic. “Quite naturally,they might show up once the water recedes.”

Maintaining the state government’s stand of holding DVC responsible for the flood,Rajib Banerjee said “this situation would not have come up if they hadn’t released the water without any notification”.

Surprisingly,after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had lashed out at the DVC for the ‘man-made flood’,the corporation authorities had sought appointment with her,saying they had relevant papers to prove they had intimated the state in advance,but the CM still hasn’t met them.

Fire and Emergency Minister Javed Khan,too,holds the DVC responsible and says there was no point in meeting them. “They are directly responsible for the flood,for not keeping the state informed. What would be the use in meeting them?” he questioned.

Latching on to it,state Congress leaders said the TMC government is avoiding the meeting because it was itself at fault. “The government knows it would be exposed and would have to shoulder the responsibility for the 17 lives that were lost in the flood,” said Pradeep Bhattacharya,president,West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee.

Leader of Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra considers it to be an issue between the state and the Centre. “Mamata had appealed to a much higher court. That of Goddess Kali. I should not intervene in this issue in that case,” he said,referring to the CM saying that she had complained to Goddess Kali against Goddess Durga because of the incessant rain during the pujas.