West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday blamed water flowing from Bhutan for the recent floods in north Bengal and sought compensation from the Himalayan kingdom.
Visiting the disaster-hit region to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts, Banerjee said at Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri district that heavy rainfall upstream in Bhutan had caused rivers to swell, resulting in extensive damage.
“We have faced losses due to water coming down from Bhutan… We want them to give us compensation,” she said during a government programme.
The chief minister also reiterated her demand for the creation of an Indo-Bhutan Joint River Commission, insisting that West Bengal should be a member.
“I have been insisting on setting up an Indo-Bhutan Joint River Commission for some time now and I demand that West Bengal be made part of it. Under our pressure, there's a meeting scheduled on the 16th of this month and our officers will attend that,” she added, alleging that the Centre has not provided adequate financial assistance for disaster relief.
Banerjee toured several relief camps in the Bamandanga area of Nagrakata, one of the worst-affected regions following the heavy rains on October 4, which triggered floods and landslides in the upper reaches of Darjeeling and its foothills.
At least 32 people have died, and thousands have been left homeless in the northern districts.
This is Banerjee’s second visit to north Bengal since the calamity, and she is expected to remain in the region until Friday to monitor ongoing relief and rehabilitation work. She had earlier spent four days in the area from October 5 to supervise recovery efforts.
(With inputs from agencies)
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
