Jal Shakti Minister refutes allegations of unilateral release of water from Damodar Valley Corporation reservoirs

Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil has refuted allegations made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released water from the reservoirs it manages without informing the State government.

In a social media post, Mr. Patil said that the DVC had released only 70,000 cusecs of water, whereas the West Bengal Chief Minister said that the Central government had released 1,50,000 cusecs of water.

“The factual information provided by the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC) secretariat is that a total combined release of 70,000 cusecs (Maithon 42,500 cusecs, and Panchet 27,500 cusecs) only has been made from the Maithon and Panchet reservoirs, and not 1,50,000 cusecs as has been tweeted by Hon’ble CM of West Bengal,” Mr. Patil said.

Ms. Banerjee, in a series of posts, said that the DVC’s release of water was a “deliberate ploy to unleash disaster on us in order to inflict pains on millions when they are still busy in the pujas”. “Shameful, intolerable, unacceptable! We protest!!“ she said.

“The unilateral and wilful release of water by the DVC is that they have by the evening today (Friday) released more than 150,000 cusecs of water from Maithon and Panchet dams, etc., to flood our West Bengal during festival times,” Ms. Banerjee had said.

The Union Minister said that the DVRRC has been mandated to guide the DVC in the release of water from the Maithon and Panchet reservoirs in a coordinated manner, and a very systematic and scientific approach for reservoir operation was followed in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Manual.

“Before releasing [water], views and comments were sought by the DVRRC secretariat from the Irrigation and Waterways Directorate, Govt. of West Bengal. But, no comments/inputs were received from them.,” Mr. Patil said.

Mr. Patil said that, according to the 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 was normal, and the water level at Harinkhola in Hooghly district was below the warning level, he added.

Responding to the remarks made by the Union Minister, West Bengal Minister of Irrigation and Waterways Manas Ranjan Bhuniya said that the cumulative release of water from the DVC since October 2 had surpassed 150,000 cusecs. “This was not the first time that the Chief Minister has raised the issue of release of water; she has done so a number of times but the Centre has not paid any heed,” Mr. Bhuniya said.

The Minister said that the Centre had been depriving the State in numerous ways, including not releasing funds dredging rivers, and preventing Ganga river erosion.