Suvendu Adhikari Criticizes Mamata Banerjee Over Flood Management in West Bengal
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 19: West Bengal Assembly Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming that the government has neglected pre-monsoon work and infrastructure over the past three years. Adhikari stated, “Pre-monsoon work has not been done for the last three years. This is a flood-prone area. The government did not work at all on infrastructure in the last 3-4 years.”
Adhikari accused the government of focusing on appeasing a specific voter base and distributing money during elections, which he believes has led to the deterioration of irrigation systems affecting 15-20 lakh people. He added, “Our embankments are breaking one after the other. Precautionary measures ahead of monsoons were not taken.”
Adhikari also mentioned the Damodar Valley River Regulation Committee (DVRRC), which includes representatives from the West Bengal government. He explained that there is a protocol for releasing water from the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), which involves taking permission from the state government and ensuring the safety of residents. He criticized the Chief Minister for only visiting affected areas for photo opportunities while people lack clean drinking water.
Adhikari highlighted that parts of Bankura, Hoogly rural, West Midnapore, East Midnapore, and Howrah are affected by floods. He suggested that the only solution is for Mamata Banerjee to step down and prioritize involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and providing relief to flood victims.
In response, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited flood-affected areas in Howrah and Panskura in Medinipur, blaming the Centre’s negligence for not carrying out dredging at the DVC. She claimed that the DVC released more than 5 lakh cusecs of water despite her requests, leading to floods in several districts. Banerjee stated, “This has never happened before. We conduct meetings from time to time. I personally called the DVC chairman. I requested them not to release too much water.”
Doubts Revealed
Suvendu Adhikari -: Suvendu Adhikari is a politician in India. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
Mamata Banerjee -: Mamata Banerjee is the Chief Minister of West Bengal. She is the leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party.
Flood Management -: Flood management means taking steps to prevent or reduce the damage caused by floods. This includes building dams, cleaning rivers, and preparing for heavy rains.
West Bengal -: West Bengal is a state in eastern India. It has a lot of rivers and sometimes faces problems with floods.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India.
Vote bank politics -: Vote bank politics means making decisions to please certain groups of voters to get their votes, rather than focusing on what is best for everyone.
Irrigation -: Irrigation is the process of supplying water to crops to help them grow. It is very important for farming.
15-20 lakh people -: 15-20 lakh people means 1.5 to 2 million people. In India, ‘lakh’ is a term used to represent 100,000.
Centre -: In this context, ‘Centre’ refers to the central government of India, which is responsible for the entire country.
Damodar Valley Corporation -: Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is an organization that manages the Damodar River. It helps with electricity, irrigation, and flood control in the region.
Dredging -: Dredging means cleaning the bottom of a river or lake by removing mud, sand, and other materials. This helps to prevent floods by allowing more water to flow through.