oppn parties Bengal: Cutting Off Ties With DVC Is Not Right

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oppn parties
Bengal: Cutting Off Ties With DVC Is Not Right

By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2024-09-29 07:29:10

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 For, since it has withdrawn its representatives from the body, it will be in the dark about future water releases other than a notification from the DVC about its unilateral decision.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.