West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday maintained that there was “no reason to worry” over flooding in different parts of the state as the situation was well under control and the water levels would recede soon.Presiding over an emergency meeting at the Water Resources Department office, the CM took stock of the situation with senior officials of various departments and district magistrates.Several areas of the Lower Damodar Valley have been inundated after “heavy” to “extremely heavy” rainfall, 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 people were being evacuated from vulnerable areas and arrangements were being made to shift cattle to safer locations.Adhikari said the rise in river levels had increased pressure on dams, but the situation remained under control.He also praised the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for its handling of the situation and said it had reduced the amount of water being released.Story continues below this ad“Despite the adverse situation, DVC has done a good job,” he said.“Extremely heavy rainfall and tremendous water pressure have not caused any dam to crack. Under the previous Trinamool government, many dams used to crack during monsoon and attempts were made to control the situation by placing sandbags,” Adhikari said.The Lower Damodar Valley, particularly parts of Howrah and Hooghly districts, remains vulnerable to flooding during the monsoon. Several areas have been inundated following the heavy rainfall triggered by the depression.State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), civil defence and police personnel are engaged in rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.Story continues below this adArrangements are also being made to provide food and drinking water to people in the inundated areas.The administration is closely monitoring the situation, with officials directed to ensure that residents in the affected areas do not face major difficulties as water levels are expected to come downBox: CM announces Mithun as Bengal govt’s ‘cultural adviser’Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday announced that veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty will be the “cultural adviser” of the West Bengal government.Story continues below this adThe CM said this during the foundation laying ceremony of the Uttam Kumar Film Centre in New Town.Speaking to the media later, Chakraborty said, “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. We are asking people to come to Bengal and shoot here.”Also, the Chief Minister launched the state Tourism Department’s new logo titled “West Bengal — Where India Feels Different”, with the campaign line “See it in a new form, see it through new eyes”, at the Dhono Dhanya Auditorium in Kolkata’s Alipore.A dedicated phone ringtone was also unveiled for the department.Story continues below this adAdhikari announced that at least 11 new cruises will be deployed in the Ganga for pleasure rides, with proposed journeys from Babughat to the Sundarbans and other destinations. The government is also planning to develop day-long and overnight tourism circuits around the state’s riverfronts, islands and natural attractions, he added.The new branding was intended to help Bengal regain its position as “Destination West Bengal” and make better use of its considerable natural and cultural resources, he said.“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,” he said.The CM said the state government was strengthening the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation and taking steps to expand employment and manpower in the tourism sector.Story continues below this adIn a press release, the Tourism Department said, “The core idea behind the new West Bengal brand is West Bengal — Where India Feels Different is built around a simple but powerful thought: West Bengal offers an extraordinary combination of experiences that travellers may not expect to find together in one destination. From the Himalayas to the Sundarbans, tea gardens to the Ganges, living heritage to contemporary creativity, the state brings together remarkable geographical and cultural diversity. But what makes the experience truly distinctive is the warmth, creativity and human connection of its people.”“The new brand therefore moves beyond simply showcasing places and attractions. It invites travellers to experience, participate, connect and discover—and to ask a simple question: What feels different about India here? The answer is an invitation to discover a Bengal that is diverse, deeply human and perhaps different from the India they thought they already knew.”It added, “The destination logo is far more than a visual mark. It is the recognisable face of a destination—the symbol through which a destination begins to build familiarity, curiosity and recall in the minds of travellers. It helps communicate not just where a destination is, but why it is worth choosing, experiencing and remembering. The new West Bengal identity is therefore conceived not simply as a new logo, but as the beginning of a long-term destination brand platform for how West Bengal is seen, experienced and remembered by the world.”—With PTI inputs