Fri Sep 20 16:53:40 UTC 2024: ## West Bengal Chief Minister Threatens to Sever Ties with DVC Over Flood Devastation
**Kolkata, September 20, 2024:** West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has threatened to sever all ties with the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) after accusing the corporation of releasing a massive amount of water from its dams, leading to devastating floods in South Bengal.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ms. Banerjee stated that the “unilateral and unplanned release of nearly five lakh cusecs of water” from the Maithon and Panchet dams has severely impacted over five million people in the state. She described the floods as a “man-made disaster” that could have been avoided with better dam management practices.
The Chief Minister has repeatedly called for dredging and desilting of the DVC reservoirs to improve their floodwater holding capacity, but claims that the central government and the DVC have only conducted studies and half-hearted attempts at solutions.
The Union Power Ministry, however, claims that all relevant authorities were informed about the scheduled release of water and that the releases were in line with recommendations from the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC).
The opposition leader in West Bengal, however, has criticized Ms. Banerjee’s threat, questioning how the state would generate power if it cuts ties with the DVC, which provides 69% of West Bengal’s power generation capacity.
The situation remains tense, with the Chief Minister steadfast in her accusations and the central government maintaining its stance. The impact of the flood damage and the political fallout of the situation remain to be seen.
First Piper 