Santanu Basu, a 2000 batch IAS officer, serving as power secretary in West Bengal government resigned from the board of Damodar Valley Corporation citing uncalibrated and unplanned release of water from the dams of the central government utility that caused an “unprecedented flood situation” in the state.
Basu was the member in the board of DVC. Along with him, irrigation department's chief engineer (West) Uttam Ray also resigned. He was the member of the Damodar Valley River Regulation Committee (DVRRC), which advises the release of water from the DVC dams.
The seven-member DVC Board consists of the Chairman, four Members of DVC and three representatives of government shareholders- one from Centre, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
Their resignations in the wake of chief minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement last week that she would ensure Bengal severed ties with the DVC.
Basu in an email to DVC chairman said, “In view of the unprecedented and uncontrolled release of water by the DVC from its dam systems, leading to widespread inundation causing immense sufferings to the people in vast areas of the state, I do hereby tender my resignation as the member of state from the board of DVC.”
Basu's resignation has ignited debate among the bureaucrats. A section of bureaucrats said that withdrawing the officials from the DVC would not be a proper solution to save Bengal from regular floods the state faces due to release of water from the dams of DVC.
Some bureaucrats said officials nominated by the state couldn't withdraw from the DVC by writing a letter. “The state government had nominated them. It is the state government that can withdraw the officials from the DVC,” said an official.
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