Bengal: Cutting Off Ties With DVC Is Not Right
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2024-09-29 07:29:10
About the Author
The release of excess water, allegedly without information to
the Bengal government, by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has raised
temperatures in Bengal. Bengal government claims that a large part of the
catchment area was flooded due to such unilateral release of water, leading to loss of
lives and damage to crop. The state's two representatives have resigned from
the body. State chief minister Mamata Banerjee was asked about the speculation
that the Centre would shift the headquarters of the DVC from Kolkata. She curtly
replied that there is no need of an organisation that kills people.
But the matter is not as simple as it appears to be. DVC has said that
protocols about informing the stakeholders before releasing the quantum of
water were followed. If Bengal has two representatives, were they not informed
about the quantum and timing of the act? If not, it was a serious lapse on part
of the DVC and those responsible should be identified and suitably punished.
But if they were informed, then the state government should desist from
politicising the issue and admit its mistake in not taking preventive action or
not impressing upon the DVC about how releasing such a huge quantity would lead
to floods in the state. If there was a meeting to decide how much and when the
water would be released, were Bengal representatives present in that meeting?
What was their contribution in the discussion? The minutes of the meeting should be made
public.
The Bengal government contention that the DVC did not consult with it
before releasing the water does is not valid if its representatives were there
in the meeting. Since it is a fact that floods have happened, lives have been
lost and crop has been damaged, this matter needs to be probed thoroughly and
all sides should cooperate so that such things do not happen again. Bengal is
also guilty of not dredging and this has reduced water storage capacity in its
barrages. River embankments have not been repaired in the state and no action
has been taken against illegal and rampant encroachments.
The Bengal government's decision to break ties with the DVC is not correct
and might backfire in future. For, since it has withdrawn its representatives from
the body, it will be in the dark about future water releases other than a
notification from the DVC about its unilateral decision. It should reinstate
its representatives and press for more say in decision-making for it affects
the state.
