Mamata Banerjee Writes To PM Modi On Bengal Floods, Seeks His Intervention On Upgrading Dams

PM Modi called Mamata Banerjee to review the flood situation in Bengal and assured all assistance from the Centre to deal with it.

(File Photos)

Mamata Writes to PM: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the flood situation in some districts of the state. In the letter, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said that the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has released water through its dams in an unplanned manner, which has led to man-made flood situations.

At the same time, CM Mamata Banerjee also urged PM Modi to plan for upgradation of dams.

PM Modi talks to Mamata Banerjee

Earlier, the Prime Minister dialed Banerjee to review the flood situation in West Bengal and assured all assistance from the Centre to deal with it. During the talks, Prime Minister Modi asked if It was raining heavily in West Bengal. The Chief Minister told him that the situation is man-made and the DVC is responsible for it.

She even told the Prime Minister that the DVC has released water in an unplanned manner, worsening the situation in the state.

A corporation official said the DVC has released 5.43 lakh cusecs of water from July 31 to Tuesday evening. The official said that the chief minister, who is on a visit to flood-hit Udaynarayanpur in Howrah district, told the Prime Minister that the administration would send a report to the PMO after completing the survey on the flood situation and the damage caused by it.

Later, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) tweeted that Modi assured Banerjee of all possible help from the Centre to deal with the situation. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about the flood situation in parts of the state after water was released from dams," the PMO said. The Prime Minister assured them of all possible central help to deal with the situation. Prime Minister Modi wished for the safety of the people in the affected areas.''

Nearly 3 lakh people are displaced due to floods in Bengal

Nearly three lakh people have been displaced due to floods at number of places in West Bengal due to heavy rains and at least 15 people have died in incidents of house collapse and electrocution. Meanwhile, water has been released from DVC dams and flooded Howrah and Hooghly as well as East Burdwan, West Burdwan, West Midnapore and South 24 Parganas districts.

The official said Banerjee's program to conduct an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Howrah and Hooghly districts had to be postponed due to bad weather. She said that, instead, she will leave for Amta in Howrah by road. She may consider going to Hooghly than Khankul if the weather conditions improve. Standing in the water up to her knees, Banerjee spoke to the affected people in Amta and assured them of all possible help from the state government.