News Brief
Mamata Banerjee Demands Compensation From Bhutan For North Bengal Floods That Killed Over 30
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (File Photo)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that water flowing down from neighbouring Bhutan caused floods in North Bengal and sought compensation from the Himalayan kingdom.
Visiting flood-affected Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri district, she demanded that West Bengal be made part of an Indo-Bhutan Joint River Commission, with a meeting scheduled for 16 October where state officers will attend.
Torrential rain on the intervening night of 4th and 5th October triggered devastating landslides across Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, with the region receiving 261mm of rainfall within 24 hours.
The death toll rose to at least 32 people, including two from Nepal and Bhutan, with six still missing.
Approximately 9,500 people have been displaced and are currently sheltering in relief camps, with Jalpaiguri district housing over 7,000 of these displaced individuals in 18 different camps.
The Chief Minister reiterated her longstanding demand for formation of an India-Bhutan River Commission with Bengal as a member.
Currently, Joint Expert Group, Joint Technical Team and Joint Expert Team are working between India and Bhutan which discuss flood management and forecasting.
Each affected family will be provided with compensation of Rs 5 lakh by the state government. She handed over appointment letters for home guards in the state police to one family member from each of 10 families in the region which faced loss of lives.
Houses will be constructed under the Banglar Baari scheme.
The Chief Minister added that arrangements have been made in relief camps for people who lost vital documents such as Aadhaar card, PAN card and land titles so the state government can reissue duplicate copies.
Rivers Teesta, Torsa, Jaldhaka and Raidak flowing through Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts originate in neighbouring Bhutan and Sikkim. This is the Chief Minister's second trip to North Bengal to oversee flood relief operations.
