Bengal flood: Mamata Banerjee blames DVC, Centre as hills grapple with deadly calamity 

Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday pinned the blame on Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and the central government over the flood and landslide caused by heavy rains in Darjeeling hills and other areas of the northern part of the state.

Mamata relaunched the same allegations, which she had passed when Kolkata was flooded by rain last month ahead of Durga Puja, as she flew to North Bengal to inspect the damages caused.

"The fact of the matter is there is a limit to how much we can manage water. West Bengal is the victim of water released by Bihar, Uttar Pradesh through Farakka Barrage. How will our water get drained? DVC releases water wilfully to save Jharkhand. But why are they not doing desiltation?

"What's the use of dams if they don't have the capacity to store water? It would have been better for us if there was no dam because that would have facilitated the natural waterflow. West Bengal is facing the downside of it," she said before flying out.

The Chief Minister informed that her government has instructed the local hotels in the affected areas to allow the tourists to stay until the administration rescues them.

The government has arranged Volvo Buses for the rescue operation, the CM informed.

Training her guns at the Centre, Mamata said, "Ganga is not reformed despite propaganda in the name of Namami Ganga. Ahead of the elections, the ruling BJP and Government of India give bribes through the agencies and by politically using the Election Commission of India but they don't release funds throughout the year."

On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, heavy rain battered the hills with Mirik being the worst-hit zone in the northern part of the state.