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The West Bengal-Jharkhand border has reopened for traffic after 24 hours, after which thousands of truck drivers stranded at the border have heaved a sigh of relief.
The West Bengal-Jharkhand border has reopened for movement of trucks for inter-state trade after it remained closed for nearly 24 hours. The West Bengal government closed the border on Thursday evening after the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released water from its dam located on the inter-state border with Jharkhand. The release of water led to flooding in districts of south Bengal. “The inter-state border has been opened and thousands of goods-laden trucks stranded on NH-2 and NH-6 have left for West Bengal,” a Jharkhand government official said on Saturday.
Thousands of trucks are stranded due to border closure
Truck operators in West Bengal said the border has opened but it will take some time to move the trucks standing in a 20-25 km long queue at the border. Thousands of trucks, including those from northern states carrying perishable food items, were stranded due to the border closure and emergency services were disrupted. Reacting to the development, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said an agitation had been launched against them to stop vehicles from Jharkhand going to West Bengal.
Mamata blamed DVC for the flood
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the flood situation in her state was caused by the DVC releasing uncontrolled water from its dams to 'save Jharkhand'. Following this, the entry of heavy vehicles from Jharkhand into West Bengal was banned. Blaming the DVC for the 'man-made' floods in West Bengal, she said that her government will break all ties with the DVC. A DVC official said that the water was released on the instructions of the New Delhi-based Central Water Commission (CWC), but now it has been stopped. The ruling JMM in Jharkhand targeted Mamata for allegedly sealing the inter-state border.
'If Jharkhand closes its borders…'
JMM general secretary and central spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “The decision to seal the borders will cost Mamata Banerjee heavily. If Jharkhand closes its borders, West Bengal will be cut off from the western, northern and southern parts of India. I request Didi to adopt a sensitive attitude.” Vehicles carrying goods are not responsible for the floods in your state. The DVC clarified on Thursday that the decision to release water was taken unanimously by the West Bengal Water Resources Department, Jharkhand Water Resources Department and the technical expert committee of the DVC.