North Bengal floods caused by water from Bhutan, they should compensate us: Mamata Banerjee

The chief minister, who is visiting the natural disaster-hit region to oversee relief and rehabilitation work, said that the losses occurred owing to rainwater flowing down from Bhutan through various rivers.

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that water flowing down from adjoining Bhutan caused floods in north Bengal and sought compensation from the Himalayan kingdom.

The chief minister, who is visiting the natural disaster-hit region to oversee relief and rehabilitation work, said at Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri district that the losses occurred owing to rainwater flowing down from Bhutan through various rivers.

"We have faced losses due to water coming down from Bhutan... We want them to give us compensation," Banerjee said in a short address during a government programme.

Maintaining that the state government has to arrange all relief and rehabilitation, she claimed that the Centre does not pay for it.

Maintaining that her government has long been demanding formation of an Indo-Bhutan River Commission in which West Bengal should be made a member, Banerjee said a meeting is likely to be held on October 16 on the issue where the state will send an officer as the representative.