As flooding caused by what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed a "man-made disaster" continues to wreak havoc in South Bengal, she wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (September 20), urging him to release substantial central funds to undertake extensive flood management work in the interest of the people.
In a four-page letter dated September 20, the West Bengal Chief Minister highlighted how the unprecedented, unplanned, and unilateral release of an enormous volume of water by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has devastated all districts in South Bengal, causing severe hardship to the people.
"I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that as a result of an unprecedented, unplanned, and unilateral release of nearly five lakh cusecs of water from the combined system of Maithon and Panchet dams, owned and maintained by the DVC, all districts of South Bengal have been plunged into devastating floods, causing severe miseries to the common people," Banerjee wrote.
"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," she warned.
Man-made flood severely impacts over 5 million people
Significantly, in the letter, the Chief Minister mentioned that the disaster directly affected a population of 5 million in the region. "The state is now facing the biggest flood in Lower Damodar and adjoining areas since 2009. More than 1,000 sq km is affected, and nearly five million people have been drawn into the vortex of miseries due to the loss of crops, damages to public infrastructure, and private assets, including houses and cattle... I am compelled to call it a man-made flood," she wrote.
The Bengal CM further informed that, despite providing critical information to DVC authorities about the downstream rivers already flowing close to or above the extreme danger level, and requesting a deferral of water release from time to time, the dam release was increased in quick succession.
"I also spoke with the DVC chairman over the phone on the night of September 16," she said.
"Combined water release was increased in quick succession on September 17, from 90,000 cusecs to an abrupt 2,50,000 cusecs within nine hours, which continued for long hours," she added.
Banerjee also claimed that the release could have been deferred under the emergency provision of encroaching beyond the maximum flood management level at the Maithon and Panchet reservoirs.
"It remains a fact that a sharp increase in the combined dam release was made without waiting for the water level to reach the Maximum Flood Management level and without any prior consultation with the state government."
DVC appears to shift focus from its objective of flood control
Banerjee also informed the Prime Minister that the TMC had raised the matter with the Union Minister of Jal Shakti.
"I flagged this issue during the NITI Aayog meeting. Unfortunately, no visible action has been taken on the ground," she said, citing the report which indicates siltation has already reduced the combined live and floodwater storage capacity of the two reservoirs by 30 percent.
"I believe the situation has further worsened. It is also concerning that 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 downstream West Bengal," she added.
Banerjee further mentioned that the issue of the Ghatal Master Plan has been repeatedly raised with the Centre, including the submission of detailed technical papers, but alleged that the Centre has taken no "concrete steps."
"I earnestly request that you give this matter serious consideration and direct the concerned ministries to address these issues as a top priority, including the sanction and release of substantial central funds to undertake extensive flood management works in the interest of the people who suffer the most," the Bengal CM said.
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