Economic activity between Jharkhand-Bengal disrupted as borders remain sealed for three days

Hundreds of trucks stranded at the borders as movements remain restricted due to floods; good start to perish

The West Bengal government sealed the border with Jharkhand over release of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) water on Thursday evening. Hundreds of trucks were waiting on both sides of the border. This comes after the DVC released over five lakh cusecs of water which led to flooding in around 11 districts of West Bengal.

Multiple cross-border check posts were closed for the next three days in Paschim Medinipur, Purulia, and Paschim Bardhaman. Bengal shares border with Jharkhand in mainly these three districts. Many of the stranded trucks contain perishable food items like apples, onions, and other fruits and vegetables. The truckers remained worried that they will not be able to recover their costs if the goods perish due to the long blockade.

Water levels have risen in parts of National Highway 16 around Panshkura area. Ms. Banerjee ordered the restriction in the movement along the border as a response to the rise in water levels. She said, “The water levels are rising on the national highway as well. The Jharkhand border will be sealed for three days. I do not want the trucks and cars entering our State to get submerged in water.”

An aggrieved trucker at the border said, “Police stopped us last night. Since then we have spent almost one-and-a-half days here. They have only told us this is all due to the flooding in Bengal due to dam water release.”

Local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have protested against the border blockage in the Duburdi area. Local BJP MLA Ajay Kumar Poddar reached the spot and said, “We will not accept the strongarming by the police.” He even negotiated with the West Bengal Police posted at the borders to allow the trucks inside the border.

Attacking this decision of closing the borders by Ms. Banerjee, West Bengal Assembly Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said, “After her speech yesterday, thousands of trucks are waiting at the borders. She does not have the courage to give such a huge order in writing. She does not know the demography, all transportation of onion will be hampered due to this order.” Mr Adhikari pointed out that this national highway connects Nagpur, Nasik, Chhattisgarh, and from here the road leads to Sikkim, Bhutan, and other places.

He warned on Friday (September 20, 2024), “I will watch the situation closely till 2 p.m., after that I will write to Nitin Gadkari, Amit Shah, and the Governor, that they take immediate action at the borders.

He posted the letter along with a post on social media platform X, and wrote, “The high handedness of the police authorities in West Bengal is evident as trucks carrying relief material for flood affected areas are also being blocked besides the ones carrying general trade materials from Jharkhand, Bihar, Chattisgarh and Maharashtra, by illegally blocking the National Highway.”

It further stated, “Furthermore, the places where such blockages on the National Highway have been made by the West Bengal Police falls on the main arterial roads which connects West Bengal and the North East with the Northern Part of the country and as a consequence thereof the North Eastern Part of the nation is getting completely cut off and as a result soon there might be a situation where there would be a crisis of necessary supplies in the North East India.”

On Thursday (September 19, 2024), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “This situation is not because of rainfall. Yes, we have had rain for a few days. But we have required infrastructure to contain the situation. The floods are because of water released by the Central government organisation DVC from its dams. The first thing we will do is severe all ties with the DVC.”

She has visited multiple flood-affected areas for the past two days and walked through the water and met people and assured them of action.

Published - September 20, 2024 09:20 pm IST