Several West Bengal districts facing flood like situation

Kolkata, Sep. 8 (ANI): Several villages in Medinipur district of West Bengal are facing flood-like situation following the release of 2.5 lakh cusec water from the DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation).

Villagers were caught unawares after the DVC released water from the Maithon and Panchet dams, following heavy rainfall in Jharkhand and parts of Bihar.

The rising water levels are causing floods in different areas of Burdwan, Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah and East and West Medinipur Districts.

Consequently, over 200,000 people have been rendered homeless in about 150 villages.

"Water rose suddenly yesterday at around 9 in the night. Our homes have been inundated. We are forced to spend the day on the river dam, which is higher" said Runa Doloi, a resident of Singpur village.

Among the worst affected villages are Singhpur, Ramchak, Chawli, Mansukha, Khansbar, Ranichak, Ramchandrapur which have been submerged by the floods.

Over the past forty-eight hours 100 thousand cusecs of water from Kangshabati Barrage was also released following heavy rainfall.

Rivers Kangshabati, Shilabati, Gandheswari and Damodar are also flowing above the danger mark.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Government has blamed the DVC authorities for releasing the water without any prior information to villages located downstream.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to instruct the DVC to control the release of water.

The Chief Minister has also requested that water be released from the dams in phases to avoid floods. (ANI)