Banerjee said the Bengal-Jharkhand border would remain closed for three days. (Photo: PTI)
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has sought clarification from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over reports that the state government has sealed its border with Jharkhand.
Sources in Raj Bhavan said Governor Bose had directed the Prime Minister under Article 167 of the Constitution to explain whether this report was correct and if so, why.
Banerjee on Thursday ordered traffic closure between Bengal and Jharkhand after water level rose and encroached on National Highway 16 near Panshkura.
Banerjee said the Bengal-Jharkhand border would be closed for three days. West Bengal shares borders with Jharkhand in the three districts of Paschim Medinipur, Purulia and Paschim Bardhaman.
Long queues of trucks carrying goods were seen at the Jharkhand-West Bengal border on Friday.
Trucks carrying raw materials and many important items were stuck at the border.
CM Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the floods in the state, which were reportedly caused by the release of 5 lakh cusecs of water from dams controlled by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
CM Banerjee said the “man-made flood” had severely affected over 5 million people in Bengal. If the negligence continues, the state will cut all ties with the company, CM Banerjee said.
The West Bengal Chief Minister alleged that despite repeated warnings, the Centre ignored the technical, mechanical and managerial shortcomings of DVC.
Mamata Banerjee posted on her social media account X: “I have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting the devastation caused by the release of 5 lakh cusecs of water from DVC-controlled dams – a scale unprecedented so far.”
“This man-made flood, the worst we have seen in Lower Damodar since 2009, has severely impacted over 5 million people in Bengal. Despite repeated warnings, the Centre has ignored the technical, mechanical and administrative lapses plaguing DVC. If this gross negligence continues, Bengal will be forced to sever ties with DVC!”, CM Banerjee said.
In her letter, Banerjee wrote: “Due to unprecedented, unplanned and unilateral release of a huge volume of water of nearly 5 lakh cusecs from the combined system of Maithon and Panchet dams, owned and maintained by the DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation), all the districts of South Bengal have been hit by devastating floods, causing severe misery to the common people.
“This massive water release has led to what she described as “the largest flood in Lower Damodar and adjoining areas since 2009”, affecting over 1,000 square kilometres and nearly 5 million people.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been edited by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First publication: Sep 21, 2024 | 10:05 AM IST
