Kolkata, Sep 4 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday reviewed the flood situation in several districts following heavy rainfall and said there was no need for panic as water levels were expected to recede if there was no further rain.
Adhikari also defended the Damodar Valley Corporation’s (DVC) release of excess water, saying no embankments had been breached and all dams and reservoirs were functioning properly.
“Even if some water remains accumulated in the areas, there is no reason to worry. If there is no rain, the situation will improve,” Adhikari said after chairing an emergency meeting at the Water Resources Department headquarters.
The CM took stock of the situation with senior officials of various departments and district magistrates.
Several areas of the Lower Damodar Valley have been inundated following heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, with water flowing above the danger mark in Khanakul, Jangipara and Udaynarayanpur, Adhikari said.
“In Hooghly Rural, seven blocks in nine gram panchayats of Jangipara, Khanakul and Goghat have been affected,” he said, adding that water levels had reached the danger mark in Khanakul, Jangipara and Udaynarayanpur.
“The situation in the Ghatal area is more or less fine. Sonamukhi in Bankura (district) is also fine,” he elaborated.
Talking about the steps taken by the state government, Adhikari said, “The situation is under control, but the state government is taking all kinds of precautionary measures. Even though inundation has not affected a big area, we are not taking anything lightly. We have released contingency funds, relief has been sent, antivenom stored, and have kept divers, speed boats, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) ready.” Police were also directed to supply food and drinking water to families staying in houses inundated by floodwaters, the CM said.
State government sources said the DVC has released over 1 lakh cusecs of water till Friday afternoon.
Incidentally, during the previous TMC government regime, the Centre and the state government had frequently locked horns over water releases by the DVC, with the previous chief minister often describing floods in the state as “man-made”.
Adhikari said dams and reservoirs have their own limitations and water has to be released when the level rises beyond their capacity.
“Despite the adverse situation, DVC is doing a very good job. An IAS officer from the Bengal cadre, Rajesh Pandey, has become its chairman. Extremely heavy rainfall and tremendous water pressure have not caused any dam to crack/breach. If there is rainfall beyond the capacity of the dam, water has to be released,” he said.
“Under the previous Trinamool government, many dams used to crack during monsoon and attempts were made to control the situation by placing sandbags,” Adhikari said.
Adhikari urged parties not to politicise the issue and said the focus should instead be on dealing with the situation on the ground.
He said people were being evacuated from vulnerable areas and arrangements were being made to shift cattle to safer locations. PTI SCH MNB
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