Kolkata rains: Bengal govt to provide Rs 2 lakh ex gratia to kin of those dead
Since Tuesday, at least 10 people have died in rain-related incidents in Kolkata, with nine individuals electrocuted after reportedly coming into contact with exposed or unattended electric wires in flooded areas, officials said, according to a PTI report.
In response, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC), which supplies electricity to Kolkata and surrounding regions, to offer Rs 5 lakh in compensation to the families of those who died due to electrocution. She also pledged employment support from the state for the affected families.
“The state government will extend Rs 2 lakh ex gratia to each bereaved family. While money can’t bring back lives, we will ensure jobs for their families even if CESC fails to do so,” Mamata Banerjee stated, urging CESC to accept accountability for the fatalities, according to PTI.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Ekdalia Durga Puja in South Kolkata, she said she had been closely monitoring the situation since Tuesday and asserted that water had receded from most parts of the city within a few hours.
“By seven hours, we managed to drain the water. I stayed up till 2 a.m. to ensure no fresh flooding. Most areas are now clear,” she added, as per PTI.
However, Mamata Banerjee acknowledged that areas like Thanthania, College Street, and Ballygunge remained submerged until Tuesday morning.
Drawing comparisons with the catastrophic 1978 floods, the Chief Minister said, “It was like a cloudburst. We haven’t witnessed rainfall of this scale in years — possibly worse than 1978.”
CM Banerjee also criticized the Central Government for long-standing neglect of dredging operations in the Ganga and related catchment areas. “Kolkata Port, Farakka Barrage, and DVC’s Maithon haven’t carried out dredging in the past 20 years. Rain in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh flows into Bengal. We are left to handle it all alone,” she pointed out, according to PTI.
Additionally, the Chief Minister blamed Metro Railway authorities for worsening waterlogging in Salt Lake, a prominent business district, due to poor management of construction sites.
“Metro construction has caused blockage; sandbags, pipes, and debris have been left around carelessly. Yesterday, I visited Salt Lake and the area was inundated,” she said.
Mamata Banerjee also criticized the dumping of construction debris and household waste into drains, which contributed further to flooding. “Despite bins being provided, people are still clogging the drainage system,” she lamented.
On Tuesday, much of Kolkata came to a standstill due to heavy overnight rain, with submerged roads, stranded commuters, and widespread disruption of normal life.
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