Amid the Opposition demanding a probe into the electrocution deaths during Tuesday’s flooding in Kolkata and its suburbs, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced Rs 2 lakh compensation and a job for the families of those who died of electric shock.
At least nine of the 11 deaths were caused by electrocution on Tuesday as overnight downpour of 251 mm in just a few hours flooded the metropolis.
Announcing the compensation during Durga Puja inauguration at her constituency Bhawanipur, the chief minister once again blamed the power utility company, CESC, for the electrocution deaths.
“Money cannot replace lives, but even if CESC does not provide jobs, we will ensure special employment is given to family members,” she said and asked the power utility firm to provide Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families “as the deaths occurred due to their negligence”.
The Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has, however, asserted that the fatalities were unrelated to its distribution network.
Defending the handling of the situation by her government and the TMC-ruled Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), the CM said: “Within seven hours, we managed to clear the water. This has been possible because of people’s cooperation. Water from most of the areas of Kolkata has been drained out,” she said.
She, however, acknowledged that pockets such as Thanthania, College Street, and Ballygunge remained waterlogged till Tuesday morning.
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The CM also accused the Centre of not dredging the Hooghly river, which she said led to the rainwater flooding the city.
“Nature is not in our hands. Kolkata Port, Farakka Barrage, DVC’s Maithon — they have not dredged (the rivers) for the past 20 years. Whenever it rains in Bihar or UP, water flows into West Bengal. We have to manage everything ourselves,” she said.
The CM also trained her guns on Metro Railway authorities, alleging that ongoing construction activities aggravated waterlogging in Salt Lake. “Metro work is underway, and sandbags, pipes, and other materials have been left unattended. Yesterday, I went to Salt Lake, and there was a huge amount of water,” she said.
The Opposition, however, continued to hit out at the TMC government for failing to prevent the situation.
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Addressing mediapersons, BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh said, “All the canals that are the lifeline for draining out water are being filled. In Lake Town, the canal was filled for beautification, which led to waterlogging in vast parts of North Kolkata. Similar things happened with the Tally canal in south Kolkata.”
He also accused the TMC-led KMC of not filling vacant posts in the civic body. “There are 40,000 vacancies in the KMC. This led to a lack of vigilance,” he added.
Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty called it “TMC, KMC-made flood”. “The KMC has the responsibility to maintain street lights. Instead of maintaining streetlights, TMC leaders looted money. The CESC also looted money to give TMC money in electoral bonds,” the CPI(M) leader said.
The Left groups held a protest march in central Kolkata demanding a “proper investigation” into Tuesday’s deaths.
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Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury blamed the flooding on KMC’s alleged “promoter raj”. “The drainage system of Kolkata has been destroyed because of the promoter raj. The monopoly of promoters began in Kolkata under the shelter of the TMC,” the former MP alleged.
Meanwhile, Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Naushad Siddiqui moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking a judicial inquiry into the deaths from electrocution.
The Division Bench of Justice Sujoy Kumar Paul and Justice Smita Das De on Wednesday allowed the PIL to be filed.
The PIL has also urged the High Court to intervene to give compensation to the victims and their families.
With inputs from Tanusree Bose
