Mamata Banerjee accuses Centre for Bengal's flood crisis

Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee, the West Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday, blamed the Union government for the flood-like situation in certain parts of the state, especially in South Bengal.

The Chief Minister visited some of the inundated pockets at Pursurah block in Hooghly district and blamed the Centre-run Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for the flood situation due to the release of huge quantities of water from its dams in one go.

"DVC this time has released over 3.5 lakh cusecs of water in one go, the highest ever. I have personally talked to the Jharkhand Chief Minister and the DVC authorities. Why don't DVC authorities start releasing water gradually when around 80 per cent of their barrages are filled up? The Union government is trying to save the states ruled by the ruling party, as a result of which the people of West Bengal are suffering," the Chief Minister said.

She is slated to visit other flood-affected districts during the next couple of days. She is leaving for the West Midnapore district on Wednesday night.

Certain pockets in the districts of Howrah, Hooghly, East Midnapore and West Midnapore had been flooded following the release of water by DVC. The worst-affected blocks are Amta and Udaynarayanpur in Howrah, Pursura in Hooghly, Ghatal in West Midnapore and Panskura in East Midnapore.

At Panskura, which had already been witnessing heavy rainfall during the last few days, the situation worsened from early Wednesday morning following the release of water from the Kansavati Dam.

According to local sources, the Karnavati embankment collapsed at the Jarda area of Panskura around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, which led to the disaster.

Meanwhile, the situation has also started deteriorating in Bankura district following unrelenting rain during the last few days.

Bankura has witnessed 1,123 mm of rainfall since June 1, which, according to the records, is 200 mm above average.

Source: IANS