Kolkata, Sep 4: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said there was no reason to worry over the flood situation in several parts of the state, asserting that the water levels were expected to recede soon and the overall situation remained under control.
Adhikari chaired an emergency meeting with senior officials of various departments and district magistrates at the Water Resources Department office to review the situation arising from heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.
Several areas of the Lower Damodar Valley have been inundated, with water flowing above the danger mark in Khanakul, Jangipara and Udaynarayanpur, officials said.
“Even if some water remains accumulated in these areas, there is no reason to worry. The situation will improve,” Adhikari said.
He said the administration was evacuating people from vulnerable areas and making arrangements to move cattle to safer locations. Rising river levels had increased pressure on dams, but the situation remained under control, he said.
The chief minister also praised the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for its handling of the situation and said it had reduced the quantity of water being released.
“Despite the adverse situation, DVC has done a good job,” he said.
Adhikari said extremely heavy rainfall and tremendous water pressure had not resulted in any dam cracking. Rescue and relief operations are being carried out by personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), civil defence and police in the affected areas.
Arrangements are also being made to provide food and drinking water to people in inundated areas, while the administration has been directed to closely monitor the situation and ensure that residents do not face major difficulties.
Mithun Chakraborty named Bengal government’s cultural adviser
In another development, Adhikari announced veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty as the “cultural adviser” of the West Bengal government.
The announcement was made during the foundation-laying ceremony of the Uttam Kumar Film Centre in New Town.
Chakraborty said the government was seeking to revive Bengal’s position in the film industry and attract filmmakers from across the country by offering incentives.
“We will try to bring back whatever we have lost. We are giving a 30 per cent subsidy for film production so that we can bring people from across India to Bengal,” he said.
Bengal unveils new tourism identity, plans 11 Ganga cruises
The state government also unveiled a new tourism logo and branding campaign, “West Bengal — Where India Feels Different”, with the campaign line “See it in a new form, see it through new eyes”.
Adhikari said the government planned to deploy at least 11 new cruises on the Ganga for pleasure rides, including proposed journeys from Babughat to the Sundarbans and other destinations.
The state is also planning day-long and overnight tourism circuits around its riverfronts, islands and natural attractions as part of efforts to strengthen the tourism sector.
“West Bengal has considerable natural resources and enormous potential in tourism. But many other states have developed their tourism infrastructure and networks much better, and tourists tend to depend on those destinations. We have to move beyond this,” Adhikari said.
He said the government was strengthening the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation and taking steps to expand employment and manpower in the tourism sector.
The Tourism Department said the new brand seeks to highlight Bengal’s geographical and cultural diversity, ranging from the Himalayas and tea gardens to the Ganges and the Sundarbans.
“The new brand therefore moves beyond simply showcasing places and attractions. It invites travellers to experience, participate, connect and discover,” the department said.
The government said the new identity would serve as the foundation for a long-term destination branding strategy aimed at positioning Bengal more strongly on the national and international tourism map.
