Mamata Seeks Compensation from Bhutan for Floods in West Bengal

PTI, KOLKATA, OCT 13, 2025 : Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that floods in North Bengal were caused by water flowing down from Bhutan and demanded compensation from the Himalayan kingdom.

The Chief Minister, who is visiting the flood-hit region to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts, stated at Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri district that the damage occurred due to rainwater flowing from Bhutan through various rivers. "We have faced losses due to water coming down from Bhutan... We want them to give us compensation," Mamata said in a brief address during a government program.

"I have been insisting on setting up an Indo-Bhutan Joint River Commission for some time now, and I demand that West Bengal be made part of it. Under our pressure, a meeting has been scheduled on the 16th of this month, and our officers will attend," she added, while alleging that the Centre had deprived the state of monetary assistance to handle the calamity.

The Chief Minister visited several relief camps in Bamandanga area of Nagrakata, one of the worst-affected zones due to heavy rain on October 4, which flooded the region, causing extensive damage to life and property in the upper reaches of Darjeeling and its foothills.

"We will conduct a survey of the houses that have been washed away once the floodwaters recede completely and will take measures to rebuild them," she assured the victims currently lodged in the camps. Mamata also mentioned that a temporary bridge had been constructed over the adjacent Gathia and Diana rivers after the previous one collapsed during the floods.

"To ensure that the victims do not suffer further due to the loss of vital documents such as Aadhar cards, PAN cards, and land titles that were washed away by the floodwaters, I urge them to register their losses at the ongoing camps so that the state government can reissue duplicate copies at the earliest," she added.

At least 32 people have been killed, and thousands have been left homeless due to landslides and floods in the northern districts of West Bengal. The Chief Minister is currently on her second visit to North Bengal after the natural disaster struck the region. She is expected to remain in the area until Friday.