Sikkim-based green group’s four-day march against Teesta hydropower projects concludes in North Bengal

PTI, July 27, 2026, Gangtok: A four-day march from North Sikkim demanding the scrapping of some hydel power projects on the Teesta river concluded in West Bengal's Kalimpong on Monday, with participants advocating sustainable development that balances infrastructure with ecological conservation in the Himalayan region.

The "Teesta Matters to Me" foot march, organised by the green group Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), began on July 24 from Phidang village in North Sikkim's Dzongu and ended at the confluence of the Teesta and Rangeet rivers in Kalimpong with traditional prayers by Lepcha shamans.

Traversing through North and South Sikkim, participants of the march interacted with local communities while advocating sustainable development that balances infrastructure with ecological conservation.

ACT, led primarily by members of the indigenous Lepcha community, was formed to oppose mega hydropower projects in the ecologically and culturally sensitive Dzongu region in North Sikkim and the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve.

Reiterating its core demands during the march, ACT called for the scrapping of NHPC's proposed 520 MW Teesta Stage IV project and the 280 MW Panan Hydroelectric Project in Dzongu.

The organisation also sought an immediate halt to construction activities along the Teesta-Rongyong river stretch and urged the government to declare the area a river sanctuary, citing its rich biodiversity and significance as a butterfly hotspot.

Additionally, ACT demanded fresh Environmental Impact Assessments for all five existing hydropower projects along the Teesta in Sikkim.