Teesta flood victims in Bengal on warpath, demanding rehabilitation and protection wall along river bank

Held a demonstration at the office of NHPC Teesta Low Dam Project – III, demanding compensation for flood victims and the construction of a protective wall along the banks of the river

Yowan Mothay, EOI, KALIMPONG, FEBRUARY 8, 2024 : Victims of Teesta flash flood in early October last year at the West Bengal end of the river are on warpath, demanding relief and rehabilitation and the construction of a protection wall along the banks of the river to prevent recurrence of similar floods in future. 

The unprecedented rush of water in river Teesta on October 4 following the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in South Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim on the previous night leading to the collapse of a hydro power dam at Chungthang flooded areas lying on the banks of the river like Teesta Bazar in the Kaimpong district.
On Thursday, victims of the flood held a demonstration at the office of NHPC Teesta Low Dam Project – III, demanding compensation for flood victims and the construction of a protective wall along the banks of the river and raising slogans. The demonstration was led by the Tista Branch of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha. They submitted a memorandum to the NHPC authorities. 

BGPM leader Santosh Pradhan said another memorandum with the same demands was handed over to the NHPC authorities last year, but nothing had been done till today. He said on Thursday the NHPC authorities assured that a 250- metre long protection fence would be constructed in the Krishna village area adjoining the river soon. Other vulnerable areas would also be identified and the construction of protection walls would be taken up as soon as possible. 

He said the NHPC authorities called the agitators for a meeting again on Monday next as on Thursday the General Manager was not present in the office of TDDP – III of NHPC. He said the agitators would wait for 15 more days. If by this time if the construction of the protection wall did not start and if the demand for compensation of the flood victims was not met they would take recourse to bigger agitations. 

Earlier on Wednesday, too, more than 100 flood victims held a rally at Teesta Bazar as neither resettlement nor compensation for the flood victims had been arranged even four months after the occurrence of the flash flood. A memorandum was handed over to the Teesta outpost and panchayat office during the day. Justice Committee of Teesta Flood Victims leader Sharan Chhetri, one of the leaders of the agitation, said on Wednesday that the confidence of the villagers had been shaken that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and the West Bengal Government would do something for the flood victims.

When GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa had camped in Teesta in support of the demands of the flood victims of Teesta Bazar hopes had ran high that their problems would be solved but it turned into disappointment when only Rs 75,000 was given to the flood victims as compensation. 

“The wounds of the Teesta flood victims have become deeper as even a toilet cannot be built with this amount,” Chhetri said. He said only a few months were now left before the rainy season to begin when the level of the river water would rise again. Even now the river was flowing at a level higher than the previous level. 

Unless rehabilitation was arranged, it would not be possible for these flood victims to stay in Teesta Bazar even in the coming rainy season.Sunas Sundas said Teesta flood victims would observe every October 4 as ‘Black Day’ till their problems were solved.