Kolkata, Oct 4 Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil has refuted the figure quoted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the quantum of water released from the dams of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in the state during the Durga Puja festival.
The Chief Minister claimed that during the festival times, DVC released more than 1,50,000 cusecs of water from Maithon and Panchet dams, among others.
According to her, this was a "deliberate ploy" to unleash "disaster" on the people of West Bengal to "inflict pain" on millions when they are still busy with the festival.
While refuting the Chief Minister's claim, Patil quoted the figures of the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC), which is mandated to guide DVC in the release of water from the Maithon and Panchet reservoirs in a coordinated manner.
Patil has claimed that the factual information provided by the DVRRC Secretariat was that a total combined release by Maithon and Panchet dams stood at 70,000 cusecs and not 1,50,000 cusecs as claimed by the Chief Minister.
He has also informed that while 42,500 cusecs were released from Maithon, 27,500 cusecs were released by Panchet.
The Union Minister also refuted the Chief Minister's claims that the water release was made without informing the West Bengal government about it.
According to him, the water releases from the dams were made after the DVRRC secretariat sought views and comments from the West Bengal Irrigation and Waterways Directorate.
"But, no comments or inputs were received from them. Further, as per information available with the DVRRC Secretariat, there was no congestion in the Lower Damodar area. The present situation in the Lower Damodar area of West Bengal is normal, and the water level at Harinkhola in Hooghly district is below the warning level," Paatil claimed.
In the past, the Chief Minister had also been vocal against the DVC on the issue of the release of huge quantities of water from its dams without giving prior intimation to the state government.
Last year, Chief Minister Banerjee had even written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the latter's intervention to ensure that DVC did not release water from its dams without prior intimation to the state government.
However, the DVA had always refuted the claims.
According to it, waters are always released from the DVC dams based on the discussions in the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC), where the West Bengal government always has a representative. Hence, the allegation of releasing water without giving prior intimation to the state government was baseless.
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