Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused neighbouring Bhutan of releasing excess water that caused devastating floods in north Bengal, demanding compensation from the Himalayan kingdom for the losses suffered by the state.
Speaking at Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri district during her visit to the flood-hit areas, Banerjee said the disaster was largely caused by rainwater flowing down from Bhutan through several rivers connecting the two regions.
“We have faced losses due to water coming down from Bhutan... We want them to give us compensation,” she said during a government programme, where she met affected residents and reviewed rehabilitation work.
The Chief Minister asserted that her government alone was bearing the cost of relief and reconstruction, claiming that “the Centre does not pay for it.” She renewed her long-standing demand for the formation of an Indo-Bhutan River Commission with representation from West Bengal to address trans-boundary water issues. “A meeting is likely to be held on October 16 on the issue where the state will send an officer as the representative,” she added.
Flood havoc across north Bengal
The recent wave of heavy rain and flash floods has ravaged large parts of north Bengal since October 4, claiming over 30 lives and displacing thousands. Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong districts have been the worst affected, with bridges washed away, tea gardens inundated, and landslides cutting off vital road links.
Official estimates suggest that around 12,000 houses have been damaged, nearly 6,000 of them completely destroyed. Scores remain missing, with the unofficial death toll feared to have crossed 40, according to local authorities and humanitarian agencies operating in the region.
In the hills of Darjeeling, the tea industry has been hit particularly hard. Nearly 35 estates reported extensive damage to plantations, infrastructure, and worker housing, with losses estimated at ₹50 crore. Environmental officials said the deluge also disrupted wildlife corridors, prompting the forest department to consider relocation measures for affected species.
Also read: Bhutan warns of flooding in North Bengal after dam overflow
Political blame and official pushback
Banerjee’s accusation has drawn mixed responses. While state officials maintain that uncontrolled water discharge from Bhutan aggravated the floods, the Centre has pointed to existing bilateral mechanisms to manage trans-boundary rivers.
A senior Union official said that the Centre has already released ₹1,290 crore to West Bengal under the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) over the past two years. The official added that joint expert teams between India and Bhutan are functional and that the state has been asked to provide detailed studies on river behaviour and erosion patterns.
Banerjee, however, has remained adamant that the Centre’s approach is inadequate. During her review meetings, she described the floods as “largely man-made,” blaming poor coordination in dam operations and upstream water releases for worsening the crisis.
Relief measures and compensation
The West Bengal government has announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the next of kin of each victim, alongside employment offers in the home-guard department for family members. Rapid-response teams have been deployed to deliver food and medical aid in remote pockets of Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar.
Banerjee also instructed district magistrates to prepare comprehensive lists of damage to homes, crops, and public infrastructure for submission to the Centre and international funding bodies. Her government, she said, would “not wait for Delhi’s approval to act when people’s lives are at stake.”