West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday demanded that Bhutan compensate India for the extensive damage caused by floods in North Bengal, alleging that the unregulated release of water from Bhutanese rivers had worsened the situation.
During her visit to flood-affected areas in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, Banerjee said,
“We have faced huge losses due to water flowing down from Bhutan. The government of Bhutan should compensate us for these damages. We also demand that an Indo-Bhutan River Commission be formed immediately, with the Bengal government as a member.”
The Chief Minister criticized the Central Government for its “silence” following the disaster, claiming there was no outreach or financial assistance from New Delhi. She said the state had repeatedly urged the Centre to set up a cross-border river management body to prevent such incidents, but the request had gone unanswered.
Banerjee described the calamity as “man-made”, blaming both sudden water releases and inadequate river dredging for worsening the floods.
Environmental experts echoed her concerns, pointing out that floating timber logs believed to have originated from Bhutan’s Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited (NRDCL) may have obstructed the flow of the Torsa River, aggravating flooding across several districts.
Thousands of people across Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri have been displaced, with widespread damage reported to crops, infrastructure, and homes. Relief operations are underway, though authorities warn that full rehabilitation could take weeks.
Bhutan has yet to issue a formal response to Banerjee’s remarks. However, observers note that the demand for compensation could introduce new diplomatic challenges in the otherwise cordial Indo-Bhutan relationship, particularly concerning transboundary river management.
