Quarrying of riverbed materials go unchecked in rivers of north Bengal

Prashant Acharya, EOI, SILIGURI, 28 Aug 2015:Local NGOs and various social welfare organisations have raised their voice against the excessive quarrying of riverbed sand and stones from the Balason, Manjha, Chenga, Mechi and other rivers of north Bengal. NGOs working on nature, the environment and social fields have demanded the local administration to take appropriate steps immediately to curb the menace and have warned of an agitation if there is inaction. Priyanka Choudhery, founder of NGO Jalpaiguri Inspire, said, "We should all come forward to save nature and marine life as they are most affected by the quarrying of riverbed materials. The large-scale extraction of streambed materials, mining and dredging below the existing streambed levels, and the alteration of channel-bed form and shape lead to severe consequences such as erosion of channel beds and banks, increase in channel slope, and change in channel morphology.

Scores of 10-wheeled trucks including bulldozers (JCVs) are used to transport riverbed materials from the Manjha River under Naxalbari block. The locals requesting anonymity told this correspondent that the trucks enter the river in violation of state government notifications. They also complained of a rise in pollution levels as hundreds of trucks pass through villages from early in the morning till late at night. The notification issued by the state irrigation department states that heavy trucks and bulldozers are not permitted to enter the rivers. Diwakari Chhetri, a local social worker said, "The impact of extraction of riverbed materials can lead to (1) undercutting and collapse of river banks, (2) loss of adjacent land and/or structures, (3) upstream erosion as a result of an increase in channel slope and changes in flow velocity, and (4) downstream erosion due to increased carrying capacity of the stream, downstream changes in patterns of deposition, and changes in channel bed and habitat type.

Naxalbari Block Development Officer Kinsuk Maity said, "As per the government notification, 12-wheeled and heavy vehicles including bulldozers are not permitted to enter rivers to carry sands, pebbles, stones and other materials." U Swaroop, ADM Land and Land Reforms Department (Darjeeling) said four check posts, two watch towers and a monitoring team will be set up on the river banks where complaints are lodged. He added his office has proposed to the state government and the concerned department to install CCTV cameras.