- Kolkata waterlogged after six hours of unprecedented rain
- Ten people died in rain-related incidents, state compensation announced
- Mamata Banerjee cites garbage, Metro construction debris for drainage blockages
- Families seeking higher compensation reminded of their responsibility
GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 24th Sept: Kolkata was inundated after six hours of unprecedented rainfall on Tuesday night, leaving streets waterlogged and disrupting air, road, and rail traffic throughout the morning. Ten people lost their lives in rain-related incidents, prompting the state government to announce compensation for the victims’ families.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee partly blamed the flooding on garbage blocking drainage systems and urged residents to exercise civic responsibility. “A drainage system needs to be put in place. Many people throw garbage in front of the drains. We also need to bring back a little civic consciousness. There is a lot of garbage and construction materials in the Salt Lake area for the Metro work. The Metro was requested in advance to remove them and clean them during the Puja,” she said.
The Chief Minister also addressed claims for higher compensation. “We are giving 2 lakh rupees to the families of those who died yesterday. Someone has asked us to give 5 lakh rupees. They too cannot deny their responsibility,” she added.
Mamata Banerjee further accused the power utility CESC of negligence in view of the deaths due to electrocution, although the discom has denied responsibility, stating that the incidents were unrelated to its network.
She highlighted the role of upstream water management, adding, “When I go to Navanna, I go to see how much water there is in the Ganga. A few days ago, I saw the Ganga overflowing. I was looking into why so much water is being released. Then I heard that water from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh is also coming here. If they (the DVC) give these things to us in advance, we can take action. It doesn’t do that either.”
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