Flood situation in Bengal snowballing into political row

Kolkata, Oct 2 (IANS) The flood situation in seven south Bengal districts is snowballing into a political controversy.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee increased pressure on the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), asking it not to release water without informing the state else the state will be forced to demand compensation.

The BJP, however, held Banerjee responsible for the flood situation in the state.

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said, "In the last three days, they (DVC) have released more than 10 lakh cusec of water, most of which has been released without informing the state. This is a crime and the state is not going to sit and watch. If they do it again, the state will be forced to demand compensation."

Asking the Jharkhand government to work out a comprehensive plan, Banerjee said, "We have evacuated more than five lakh people and have made arrangements for their food and rehabilitation. We have faced so many cyclones, but we didn't receive a single penny from the Central government. This cannot continue.

"The Centre should start dredging the canals so that the additional rain in Jharkhand doesn't come down as a curse on Bengal. I shall write to the Prime Minister and will ask the Chief Secretary to take the matter up with the Agriculture Ministry."

Reacting to the Chief Minister's remarks, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said, "The embankments are not repaired properly and it is because the Chief Minister asked them not to do that. She needs Rs 18,000 crore for her 'Lakshmir Bhandar' project and so the money has been diverted, endangering the lives of the people.

"When 50 lakh people were suffering, she was busy with her election campaign because whatever might happen, she will have to stay as the Chief Minister. Even God will not pardon a crime like this."

State BJP President Sukanta Majumdar said, "This is a normal thing... A dam has some capacity and if the dam doesn't release water, it will break and that will lead to widespread floods. She is speaking unscientific things. Without accusing others, she should have made preparations so that the flood situation could have been controlled."

Accusing the Centre, Trinamool MP Aparupa Poddar said, "The Centre is deliberately releasing water to put people in trouble. This is unfortunate."