Calamity Strikes Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee Lays Blame Amidst Historic Downpour
Mamata Banerjee accused Damodar Valley Corporation and CESC for the flooding that led to electrocution deaths amidst heavy rains before Durga Puja. She announced jobs and compensation for victims' families. Banerjee criticized unmodernized infrastructure and state fund cuts while declaring early Puja holidays and advising work-from-home.
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday attributed the extensive flooding caused by record-breaking rains to the Damodar Valley Corporation and Kolkata's power provider CESC. She held them partly accountable for the chaos and suffering endured by citizens days before the Durga Puja celebrations.
The massive downpour, one of the heaviest in nearly four decades, led to calamitous flooding in Kolkata, leaving at least eight people dead due to electrocution from exposed live wires. The deluge disrupted air, rail, and road travel, prompting the closure of schools and an early commencement of Puja holidays by the state government.
In response to the disaster, Banerjee announced a government job for the next of kin of each victim and urged CESC to provide additional compensation. She criticized the state funds' depletion due to repeated calamities, fuelled by what she called unjust GST-related fund slashes by the Centre.
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