Bhutan should compensate Bengal for flooding, says Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the catastrophic flooding was a direct result of excess water flowing down from the adjoining Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. Visiting the disaster-hit region of Nagrakata in the Jalpaiguri district to oversee crucial relief and rehabilitation efforts, the Chief Minister publicly demanded that Bhutan should provide compensation for the significant losses incurred by West Bengal.

Banerjee stated unequivocally that the widespread damage in the region, which has led to numerous fatalities and massive displacement, was caused by rainwater gushing down from Bhutan through various rivers that cross the international border. During a brief address at a government program, she stressed, "We have faced losses due to water coming down from Bhutan... We want them to give us compensation."

The Chief Minister also took the opportunity to reiterate her long-standing demand for the formation of an Indo-Bhutan River Commission, emphasizing that West Bengal must be included as a member of this critical body. She argued that the state, which bears the direct brunt of trans-boundary river flows, must have a seat at the table to ensure effective water management and flood control mechanisms are put in place.