Mamata blames Jharkhand,DVC for ‘man-made’ floods

Addressing the affected villagers at a relief camp in Gopiballavpur block,Mamata said,“This is a man made flood. The villages were inundated after Jharkhand government released water from Galudi,Panchet and other dams.”

She said the state government had earlier requested the Jharkhand government and DVC authorities to release water in a phased manner allowing people to move to safer places.

“If this was done in a phased manner and with prior intimation,this situation would not have happened. Galudi,Tilaiya and DVC released water without consulting the Bengal government. This is sheer negligence on their part and we consider it a crime,” Mamata said,adding that Jharkhand released water several times.

She later announced a compensation of Rs 15,000 to each affected villager to rebuild or repair their houses and directed the district administration to repair all damaged houses and roads,after the water receded.

“I have directed the district administration to repair of all damaged houses within three days and roads at the earliest possible after the water recedes,” Mamata said.

The Chief Minister handed over relief materials in camps and asked district administration to provide medicines to the ill and injured.

Banerjee also held a meeting with the administration at Kolaghat in East Midnapore district and Howrah district. The areas have been flooded by heavy rains and release of water from the DVC,Galudi and Kangsabati dams.

The Army said one column has been sent to repair a collapsed bridge and breached embankments in West Midnapore district at the request of the state government.

‘10 lakh cusecs released in three days’

Damodar Valley Corporation and Galudi barrage in Jharkhand together released 10 lakh cusecs of water in last three days,resulting in flooding of five districts in West Bengal,according to the official records released by the state government.

State Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee said,“DVC released 1.16 lakh cusecs of water on the first day,1.63 lakh cusecs on the second and 1.5 lakh cusecs on the third day. On Wednesday,the it released 70,000 cusecs.”

He said the amount of water released by the Jharkhand government over the last three days stands at 2.55 lakh cusecs,2.48 lakh cusecs and 2.14 lakh cusecs respectively. “Not only this,Galudi barrage further released 1.13 lakh cusecs of water on Wednesday,” Banerjee said,adding,“In all instances,the water was released without prior notification to our (West Bengal) government. We were clueless.”

‘The minister added that the state canals and the rivers cannot withstand more than 80,000 cusec release every day.

“We have written to the DVC and we have also sent letter to the CWC. We are yet to receive any response from these organisations,” he said.