Mamata Banerjee Urges Hemant Soren to Control Water Release from Jharkhand Dams to Prevent Floods in West Bengal
Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 4: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to monitor the water release from Jharkhand dams, which is causing floods in southern Bengal. She expressed concerns about the sudden and large release of water from the Tenughat Dam, which has already started flooding parts of Bengal.
As several areas in West Bengal face a flood-like situation, Mamata Banerjee has instructed district magistrates to stay alert. The affected districts include Hooghly, Howrah, Bankura, Birbhum, East Burdwan, and West Burdwan.
In a social media post, Mamata Banerjee wrote, “Just now, I spoke to the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren ji, and discussed with him the evolving flood situation. I discussed with him the case of the sudden and huge release of water from Tenughat, which has already started flooding Bengal. I told him that Jharkhand waters have been flooding Bengal, and this is man-made! I requested him to please take care of this.”
She emphasized her efforts to manage the situation by coordinating with district magistrates across both South and North Bengal, urging them to implement precautionary measures to prevent further incidents. “I have meanwhile been monitoring the situation and have spoken to all the DMs concerned in South Bengal as well as in North Bengal. I have asked the DMs to be particularly vigilant and take proper care of the calamity situation in the next 3/4 days. I told them to take all precautionary measures so that there is no untoward incident anywhere,” Mamata Banerjee wrote.
In response, Himanta Biswa Sarma rejected the notion that the Jharkhand government should be held responsible. “I respect Didi, but I cannot accept her belief that the Jharkhand government is responsible for the floods in West Bengal. Both governments should work together to reduce the hardships of the people. Every year, water coming from Arunachal and Bhutan hills causes floods in Assam. However, we do not blame the Arunachal government or the Royal Bhutan government because we understand that water has no boundaries and it flows downhill naturally,” Himanta Biswa Sarma replied.
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee criticized the central government, alleging that improper dredging activities in the Ganga River contribute to the flood-like situations in West Bengal. She stated, “Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) suddenly discharges water. Earlier, it used to discharge without information. Now we have said that this cannot be done without our permission. Many places, from Durgapur to Birbhum, face flood-like situations. DVC has to report to us, then only discharge water. If the central government conducts dredging activity properly in the Ganga river, then we will not face a flood-like situation,” she added.
Doubts Revealed
Mamata Banerjee -: Mamata Banerjee is the Chief Minister of West Bengal, a state in eastern India. She is the leader of the political party called Trinamool Congress.
Hemant Soren -: Hemant Soren is the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, a state in eastern India. He is a leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party.
Jharkhand Dams -: Dams in Jharkhand are large structures built to store water. They can release water to prevent overflow, but sometimes this can cause floods in nearby areas.
Floods -: Floods happen when there is too much water in an area, usually because of heavy rain or water released from dams. This can cause damage to homes and land.
Tenughat Dam -: Tenughat Dam is a large dam in Jharkhand. It stores water and sometimes releases it to manage water levels, which can affect nearby regions like West Bengal.
District Magistrates -: District Magistrates are government officials in charge of managing districts. They help keep people safe and make sure rules are followed.
Himanta Biswa Sarma -: Himanta Biswa Sarma is a politician from Assam, another state in India. He commented on the situation, saying Jharkhand should not be blamed for the floods.
Central Government -: The central government is the main government of India, which makes decisions for the whole country. It is different from state governments like those of West Bengal and Jharkhand.
Dredging -: Dredging is the process of cleaning the bottom of rivers or lakes by removing mud and sand. This helps keep the water flow smooth and prevents flooding.
Ganga River -: The Ganga River is a very important and holy river in India. It flows through many states, including West Bengal, and is used for drinking water, farming, and religious activities.