Irrigation dept contemplates dredging Teesta post monsoons

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 23 June 2024, Darjeeling: The Irrigation department of Jalpaiguri is contemplating to dredge the Teesta riverbed. 

However, if given a go-ahead, the work will be taken after the monsoons are over and that too in Jalpaiguri district. 

A Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared for the same. The Kalimpong district is also facing problems owing to heavy silt depositions with embankments being damaged and important roads facing inundation. 

The National Highway 10, the lifeline to Sikkim, has been heavily damaged. Incidentally, the Teesta, a river that originates from the Eastern Himalayas is fed by glaciers. After passing through Sikkim and Bengal, it enters Bangladesh through the Rangpur division. 

The 414-km-long river has one of the highest siltation deposit rates in the world. Owing to heavy siltation a lot of problems are faced. 

Owing to a Glacial Lake Outburst flood on October 4, 2023, immense damage had been caused in Sikkim and Kalimpong district with the effects also felt in downstream Jalpaiguri. To add to the woes huge amount of silt deposition carried by the fast moving waters. “The situation is dire. 

The river bed of the Teesta owing to the silt deposit has risen 12 to 15 feet. The river is running on a flat plane,” stated Prafulla Rao of Save the Hills. “As soon as the river hits the plains, it grows wide and the velocity reduces. 

There is heavy silt deposition 20 km downstream and upstream,” explained Krishnenu Bhowmick, Chief Engineer, Irrigation department, Jalpaiguri, while talking to Millennium Post. 

The Irrigation department is contemplating dredging of the Teesta River bed which would help resolve the issue and protect the embankments. “The survey is complete. A detailed study will be conducted. 

We are in the process of preparing a Detailed Project Report. However, work cannot take place in the monsoons, so we have time. Many things have to be taken into consideration,” added the Chief Engineer. Issues to consider include costs and funding; where would tons of silt be dumped. 

Usually it is sold for land filing. “All this would be considered as feasibility components for the project. Earlier we have carried out dredging work in Dayna and Raidak rivers in Dooars,” added Bhowmick. 

For such projects, the West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd. is usually the implementing agency. When questioned on the part of Teesta running through the Kalimpong district, the Chief Engineer stated that the GTA would have to decide on this and as there were two NHPC projects (TLDP III and TLDP IV,) they too are important stakeholders. 

“It would be wet dredging in Kalimpong whereas in Jalpaiguri we are looking at dry dredging,” stated Bhowmick. 

A meeting with the district administration, Kalimpong is on the anvil. Earlier in January 2024, the Jalpaiguri district Irrigation department had invited the River Research Institute in Kolkata to initiate this study, focusing on the Laltong Basti and Chumuk Dangi upstream of Teesta. Following the study, a comprehensive report had been submitted to the state government. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

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