Mamata again writes to PM, says state govt not consulted by DVC on water release

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns over the handling of the ongoing flood crisis in the state, addressing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In her letter, dated September 21, Banerjee alleged that the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) unilaterally released water from its dams without proper consultation with the West Bengal government, exacerbating the flood situation in the state. The letter came after Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil had asserted that state officials were kept informed at every stage of the water release.

Banerjee disagreed with the claim, stating that the release of water from the DVC reservoirs was not conducted through proper collaboration. "I may respectfully disagree," she wrote, emphasizing that the state’s representatives were not adequately consulted, and critical decisions were made by the Central Water Commission without consensus. She also highlighted that water was sometimes released without sufficient notice to the state government, making disaster management difficult.

In her letter, Banerjee expressed frustration over the short notice period provided by the DVC for water releases, which lasted up to nine hours with only 3.5 hours' warning. She asserted that such actions left little time for state authorities to take necessary disaster-prevention measures. The letter, which became public on Sunday, marks the second instance in two days where the West Bengal CM raised the issue with the Prime Minister.

In an earlier letter dated September 20, Banerjee pointed out that over five million people in West Bengal had been affected by the floods. She urged the central government to release emergency funds to help manage the devastation caused by the floods, emphasizing the need for urgent relief and rehabilitation.