Overview
- On a two-day visit to North Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre and DVC of “unilateral and wilful” dam releases and cautioned that upcoming high tides could worsen flooding.
- The DVC rejected the charge, saying it shares release plans with the state irrigation department and receives no response from officials.
- Reservoir readings showed Maithon at 483 ft against a 495 ft maximum and Panchet at 415 ft against a 435 ft maximum, with discharges underway to create storage for continuing inflows.
- Engineers and officials cited heavy siltation and encroachment that have choked downstream channels, noting no central grant has been approved for DVC desiltation and an earlier Panchet dredging plan was dropped as unviable.
- The state reported repeated inundation in low-lying areas such as Ghatal, continued evacuations and relief operations, and announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for each confirmed death.