GTA writes to NHPC urging re-survey for rehabilitation of affected families

MP, 12 Jan 2025, Darjeeling: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has written a letter to the General Manager of NHPC, requesting a re-survey for the rehabilitation of those affected by the flash floods in the Teesta river on October 4, 2023. 

The letter, written by the Executive, Disaster Management department of the GTA, also urged for the completion of the protection work along the Teesta river. A large stretch along the Teesta river including Teesta Bazar in the Kalimpong district of West Bengal was badly affected by the flash floods that originated in North Sikkim on October 4, 2023. 

Many lives were lost, families were displaced, houses were damaged and livelihoods ended. The flash floods also swept away the Sikkim Urja Limited, the NHPC hydro project dam, at Chungthang in North Sikkim. 

The disaster victims from Kalimpong, rallying under the banner of Teesta Sangrakshan Mancha (TSM), have been demanding a re-survey by the NHPC of the damages for adequate compensation along with protective measures to prevent a re-run of the disaster. 

The letter, dated January 3, 2025, stated: “Many affected families have expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the survey report for the affected houses from the Teesta Gaffur Bustee to Teesta Deogram, from Gelli Khola to 29th Mile Balwakhani and Reyang under Kalimpong-1 Block. 

You are requested to make necessary arrangements for a re-survey of the affected families at your earliest convenience.” The letter further stated that it is “high time” to complete the protection work as the next monsoon will hit soon requesting immediate intervention and allocation of funds for the same. 

More than 400 houses were totally or partially damaged in the flash floods. “Initially, in the first survey, 104 houses were earmarked by the NHPC and later 11 more were added as per the assessment of the BDO. 

Many names have been left out and the compensation amounts are also not correct. We demand an immediate resurvey so that the left-out names are incorporated in the list along with proper compensatory amounts. 

The protection walls along the river have to be completed too. More than a year has passed yet nothing has been done” stated Kishor Pradhan of the TSM. The outfit has launched an agitation including postering and even resorted to bandhs in protest. They have threatened to beef up agitation of resurvey and protection works are not taken up immediately. 

Courtesy & source: Millennium Post 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/gta-writes-to-nhpc-urging-re-survey-for-rehabilitation-of-affected-families-594499