Though the rainfall has stopped since last night, the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulatory Committee (DVRRC), the competent authority for releasing water from dams of River Damodar has released about 1.70 lakh cusecs of water from its Panchet and Maithon Dams.
About 1.3 lakh cusecs of water was released from Panchet dam in Jharkhand and 40,000 cusecs of water from the Maithon dam in Jharkhand of DVC today morning. A combined flow of 1,70,000 cusecs have reached the downstream in Durgapur barrage.
State government has sent Sanjay Bansal, secretary, backward classes welfare department to supervise the flood situation in West Burdwan district.
S Ponnambalam, district magistrate of West Burdwan has also visited the marooned areas. People are being rescued and sent to flood shelters. Tarpaulin sheets and dry food are distributed.
The rivulets like Barakar, Nunia, Garui, Tamla are also overflowing.
The district administration has set up a control room in Asansol. Coal production and dispatch through rakes from open cast coal mines of Eastern Coalfields Limited have been hampered due to waterlogging.
The Asansol Municipal Corporation has issued helpline numbers for flood assistance. The state disaster management wing has been kept alert, and deployed in danger zones along with police.
Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC), chairperson Anindita Mukherjee has also visited and inspected the waterlogged areas. “I have formed a 20-member committee to inspect and help in the affected areas of DMC,” she added.
Meanwhile law minister Moloy Ghatak said that on the instructions of chief minister he has inspected several flood affected areas of Sitarampur, Majher Mana, Barisal para in Bankura district adjacent to river Damodar along with MLA of Barjora, Aloke Mukherjee.
“I have assessed the situation and supervised the rescue operations. After directives from our CM, I have visited and assured the marooned people that the state government is with them and provides all support. They have been rescued to safer zones in boats. This is a man-made flood and the DVC should be blamed for creating such havoc a few weeks before the biggest festive season of West Bengal,” Moloy Ghatak said in Durgapur.
Three people are killed in West Burdwan district, two in Bankura and three people are killed in Birbhum district so far.
Mayurakshi, Ajay, Kopai, Kuye all the rivers of Birbhum district are overflowing. The famous burning ghat of Tarapith is under water. So, is the satipith Kankalitala temple in Bolpur. Prangopal Gorai (65) was killed when a high tension electric wire of WBSEDCL fell upon a tree in his house in Sainthia. He got electrocuted and died.
More than 15 villages are marooned and thousands of villagers are affected. DM of Birbhum, Bidhan Roy went to inspect and make an assessment of the damages due to the flood.
“The BDOs are instructed to monitor the situation 24×7 and report. The affected people are rescued and shifted to flood shelters. We are waiting for the water to recede as the rainfall has stopped,” he said.