Bengal CM Mamata’s 1.5 lakh cusecs claim refuted by centre

Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil on Friday rejected West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegations that the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) had “unilaterally and wilfully” released water to flood parts of the state during Durga Puja. He clarified that the actual water release was less than half of what the Chief Minister had claimed.

Citing figures from the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC), Paatil said a total of 70,000 cusecs of water was discharged, 42,500 cusecs from the Maithon reservoir and 27,500 cusecs from Panchet. “This is not 1,50,000 cusecs, as has been stated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister,” he said.

Earlier, Banerjee had alleged that the DVC deliberately released over 1.5 lakh cusecs of water “to flood West Bengal during festival times,” calling it a “shameful, intolerable and unacceptable” act, and lodged a formal protest.

Paatil countered by highlighting that reservoir operations follow a “systematic and scientific approach” under the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Manual. He added that the DVRRC had sought inputs from the state’s Irrigation and Waterways Directorate before the release, but “no comments or inputs were received.”

The minister also noted that the situation in the lower Damodar region is “normal,” with no reported congestion, and water levels at Harinkhola in Hooghly district remain below the warning mark.