The Opposition BJP and CPI(M) on Wednesday alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee “lied” by claiming that DVC released water from its dams without informing her government, causing a “man-made flood” in parts of south Bengal. Waving a letter purportedly written by the Department of Disaster and Civic Defence to the administration of several districts on September 17, alerting them of possible inundation as the DVC had “informed” it of releasing water from dams in neighbouring Jharkhand. The purported letter stated, “Member Secretary, Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC), CWC, Maithon has informed that due to prevailing weather condition, uncontrolled huge inflow and rapid raising trend of water level at Maithon & Panchet reservoirs, the DVRRC will discharge 25 lakh cusecs water from 17.09.24 and onwards till further advice.” “Keeping in view of this situation, the flood situation in low-lying areas in different places along the rivers in the districts of Howrah, Hooghly, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Bankura and Purulia. Therefore, you are requested to keep ample relief materials, prepare Quick Response Teams (QRT), and rescue teams to tackle this emergency situation, and evacuate people to safer places immediately,” the letter added. Citing the letter, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said, “Her (Mamata Banerjee’s) government informed districts about the information shared by the DVC. She knows that embankments are weak. She has the compulsion to do this drama to divert the focus of the RG Kar movement." CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said, “There is a provision to go to court if DVC did anything wrong. The state government can spend crores of money in the Supreme Court to defend corrupt officers in the RG Kar case but they can't go to court in this DVC issue because they are lying.” BJP state unit president Sukanta Majumder said, “She (the CM) said, man-made flood. After this letter surfaced, it has been proved that she was lying. The people of Bengal do not believe you.” It is to be noted that state Power Secretary Santanu Basu stepped down from the Board of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), citing the “unprecedented and uncontrolled release of water by the DVC”, leading to “widespread inundation”. The chief engineer (Irrigation and Waterways Department in the state government, also resigned in protest.
