Guv Bose seeks explanation from Mamata on Bengal-Jharkhand border sealing

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has sought an explanation from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the reports that the state government sealed the interstate border with Jharkhand.

The Raj Bhavan sources said Governor Bose directed the Chief Minister under Article 167 of the Constitution to explain whether this report is correct and if so, reasons for doing this.

Banerjee on Thursday ordered that vehicle movement between Bengal and Jharkhand would be sealed after the water level rose and entered National Highway 16 at Panshkura.

Banerjee stated that 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.

On Friday, long queues of trucks carrying goods were observed at the Jharkhand-West Bengal border.

Cargo trucks carrying raw materials and many important things were stuck at the border.

CM Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the floods in the state allegedly caused by the release of 5 lakh cusecs of water from Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)-controlled dams.
 

CM Banerjee said the "man-made flood" severely impacted over 5 million people in Bengal and said that if the negligence continues, the state would sever all ties with the corporation.

The West Bengal Chief Minister alleged that despite repeated warnings, the Centre ignored the technical, mechanical and managerial failures plaguing DVC.

Taking to her social media handle on X, Mamata Banerjee posted, "I wrote to PM Narendra Modi highlighting the devastation caused by the release of 5 lakh cusecs of water from DVC-controlled dams--a scale hitherto unwitnessed."

"This man-made flood, the worst we have witnessed in the lower Damodar since 2009, has severely impacted over 5 million people in Bengal. Despite repeated warnings, the Centre has ignored the technical, mechanical and managerial failures plaguing DVC. If this gross negligence continues, Bengal will be forced to sever ties with DVC!" posted CM Banerjee.

In her letter, Banerjee said, "As a result of an unprecedented, unplanned and unilateral release of an enormously huge volume of water at nearly 5 lakh cusec from the combined system of Maithon and Panchet dams owned and maintained by the DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation), all districts of South Bengal have been plunged into devastating floods, causing severe miseries to the common people.

"This massive discharge of water has created what she described as "the biggest flood in Lower Damodar & adjoining areas after 2009," affecting over 1,000 square kilometres and nearly 5 million people.