Heavy overnight rainfall on September 23 left Kolkata reeling under severe waterlogging, paralysed transport networks, and claimed at least 10 lives across West Bengal. Most victims died due to electrocution from exposed or faulty wires in submerged streets, turning a natural calamity into a political storm.
Human Toll and Government Response
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh to families of the deceased and promised employment support. She also urged CESC, the city’s power distributor, to compensate families with an additional ₹5 lakh each, accusing the company of negligence.
Banerjee defended her administration, calling the downpour “unprecedented, worse than 1978 floods,” but insisted that drainage efforts cleared most localities within hours. She blamed central agencies for poor river management and metro construction debris for worsening waterlogging in some areas.
Economic Losses
The iconic College Street book market suffered devastating losses, with thousands of books ruined just ahead of the busy Durga Puja season. Publishers, printers, and bookstores appealed for public support to recover from the disaster.
CESC’s Stand
CESC strongly denied responsibility for the deaths. A company spokesperson said investigations showed that five deaths were due to internal wiring faults, two from non-CESC street lamp posts, and one from a traffic signal kiosk. The utility insisted its network was not at fault.
Opposition Reaction
The tragedy quickly turned political. BJP leader and Opposition head Suvendu Adhikari accused Mamata’s government of ignoring IMD warnings about heavy rainfall. He branded the deaths and chaos as failures of governance, slamming Banerjee for shifting blame to CESC and central agencies.
The Bigger Picture
What began as a natural disaster has spiraled into a political flashpoint. As Kolkata begins recovery from waterlogged streets and damaged book bazaars, the confrontation between the state government, CESC, and opposition parties signals a prolonged debate over accountability during one of the city’s worst rain disasters in years.
