Chief Minister Visits Flood-Hit North Bengal, Blames Central Government for Flooding

KalimNews, KalimNews, September 29, 2024, Kolkata: As the Durga Puja festivities approach, vast areas of North Bengal are grappling with severe flooding. The situation has escalated into chaos, affecting regions from Malda in the plains to Kalimpong in the hills and Darjeeling. National Highway 10 has been closed, disrupting normal communication and transport.

Amid this crisis, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has embarked on a visit to North Bengal to assess the unfolding disaster. Before her journey, she expressed frustration at the central government, stating, “No one has inquired about the flood situation in Bengal.” She fears that conditions may deteriorate further due to anticipated releases of water from rivers in Nepal.

Banerjee attributed much of the flooding to the lack of dredging at the Farakka Barrage, which has led to significant silt accumulation and reduced water storage capacity. “There has been no help from the central government to address the flood situation in the state. No one has paid a single penny or even looked our way,” she declared. Several areas of North Bengal are currently inundated due to the Koshi River, with water starting to flow into Bengal through Bihar, exacerbating the crisis.

The flooding has severely impacted communication between Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Mirik in Sikkim. The Chief Minister highlighted that the rising water levels of the Sankosh River have caused floods in Malda, further endangering nearby regions.

Forecasts from the Meteorological Department indicate that more rain is expected in the coming days, which could worsen the already dire situation. “Some new areas may become inundated,” Banerjee warned. She noted that approximately 500,000 cusecs of water from the Koshi River has been released from Nepal, threatening further flooding in Malda, Murshidabad, Itahar in South Dinajpur, and other large areas.

In light of these developments, the Chief Minister has directed local administrations to implement evacuation protocols and issue warnings to residents. Additionally, she pointed out that Nepal is also suffering from heavy rains, contributing to the widespread flooding across the region.

“The entire country is grappling with this crisis, yet Bengal is the only state that has been deprived of necessary flood compensation,” Banerjee emphasized. As North Bengal continues to face this unprecedented challenge, the call for urgent assistance and intervention from the central government grows louder.