Bengal Power secretary and chief engineer step down from Damodar Valley Corporation board and its regulation committee

State Information and Cultural Affairs Department in a statement on September 22, said that apart from the Power secretary, the Chief Engineer also resigned to voice protest over release of water from reservoirs

Amid a war of words between West Bengal government and Centre over release of water from reservoirs of Damodar Valley Corporation, state Power secretary Santanu Basu has stepped down from the board of DVC, officials said on Sunday (September 22, 2024).

The Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Waterways of West Bengal has also quit the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC), they said.

Mr. Basu in an email to DVC chairman on September 21 said, "In view of the unprecedented and uncontrolled release of water by the DVC from its dam systems, leading to widespread inundation causing immense sufferings to the people in vast areas of the state, I do hereby tender my resignation as the member of state from the board of DVC."

State Information and Cultural Affairs Department in a statement on Sunday (September 22, 2024) said "Apart from the Power secretary, the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Waterways, West Bengal, also resigned to voice protest on the same issue from Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC)." DVC Chairman S Suresh Kumar did not respond to repeated phone calls.

A DVC official on condition of anonymity said "This is the first instance of a state board member resigning, despite the state facing higher magnitude floods in the past."

The current DVC board consists of seven members, with four from the company and three government shareholder representatives – one from Centre and one each from West Bengal and Jharkhand.

The DVC official said the functioning of the board will not collapse as only two out of three government representatives are required to clear any board decision.

The resignations take place in the backdrop of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having written two letters to PM Narendra Modi on the flood situation maintaining that DVC released water from its reservoirs without consulting her government, inundating several districts.

Responding to Ms. Banerjee's first letter to the PM, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil had said the state's officials were informed at every stage about the release of water from DVC reservoirs, which was essential to prevent a major disaster.

Mr. Banerjee in her second letter to the PM on September 21 said, "While the hon'ble minister claims that the release from DVC dams was carried out by consensus and collaboration with the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee, including consultations with representatives of the government of West Bengal, I may respectfully disagree."

"All critical decisions are made unilaterally by representatives of the Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India without arriving at a consensus," she said.

The Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC) includes representatives from the Central Water Commission, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and the DVC.

Published - September 22, 2024 05:17 pm IST