Mamata Banerjee pens letter to PM Modi, says govt not consulted on water release

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) supremo, on Saturday addressed a letter to Prime Minster Narendra Modi regarding Bengal flood. She alleged that her government was not consulted on water release by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), reported PTI.
Amid the worsening flood situation in the state, the West Bengal Chief Minister was prompted to pen another letter to PM Modi. The letter dated September 21 states, “While the hon’ble minister claims that the release from DVC dams was carried out by consensus and collaboration with the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee, including consultations with representatives of the government of West Bengal, I may respectfully disagree.”
After the AITC supremo first raised the issue, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil said the state’s officials were informed at every stage about the release of water from DVC reservoirs, which was essential to prevent a major disaster.
Mamata Banerjee alleged that DVC’s decision to release water was “unilateral.” She asserted that representatives of the Central Water Commission of Ministry of Jal Shakti unilaterally make critical decisions “without arriving at a consensus” and at times water is released without any notice to the state government.
Blaming the Central Water Commission of not respecting and adhering to state government’s decisions, the letter adds, “Moreover peak release from the reservoirs lasting for a prolonged period of nine hours were conducted with only 3.5 hours notice which proved insufficient for effective disaster management.” The letter came into public domain on Sunday.
This latest letter was addressed a day after the first complaint was raised. In the letter dated September 20, West Bengal CM pointed out that 5 million people in the state were affected by the floods. She urged the Prime minister to immediately sanction and release central funds to address the widespread devastation.
(With PTI inputs)