Sankosh erosion worsens; Centre yet to take call on demand for river commission

Alipurduar: Despite repeated appeals from the state government, the Centre is yet to respond to the demand for an India-Bhutan River Commission. In the meantime, the Sankosh River, flowing down from Bhutan through the Assam-Bengal border, continues to swallow farmland and settlements in West Bengal’s Dooars region.

In the Kumargram block of Alipurduar, hundreds of bighas of cultivated land have already been lost. Several forest villages inside the Buxa Tiger Reserve have also been affected.

With the onset of the monsoon, the advancing river is now threatening Sankosh forest village, Bittibari, Volka and adjoining areas. Heavy rainfall in the Bhutan hills often turns the river into a raging torrent, and this year, erosion has taken an alarming form.

Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik has visited the erosion-hit areas twice this season. On his initiative, the Irrigation department has begun emergency anti-erosion work at a few sites. Baraik has also submitted a proposal to the state Irrigation Minister for constructing permanent embankments, which he said would begin post-monsoon, subject to financial approval.

During his inspection at Sankosh forest village on Saturday, Baraik said: “Despite repeated appeals, the Centre is showing no interest in setting up a joint India-Bhutan River Commission, like the Brahmaputra board. Even there, Bengal receives far less than its due share. Nearly 70 rivers flow down from Bhutan into our state, causing massive damage in the Dooars. The Sankosh erosion has become disastrous. Emergency work is not enough.”

The crisis is equally severe in Kalchini block, where rivers such as Pana, Basra and Jayanti, also originating in Bhutan, are wreaking havoc. Just a few hours of continuous rainfall in the Bhutan hills is enough to cut off communication across large parts of the block. Vast stretches of Central Dooars and Rangamati areas have already been consumed by the rivers. The swelling rivers are also disrupting education and also livelihood. Ritu Lama, a college student from Kalchini, said: “Every year during the monsoon, we face serious trouble with transportation.” Local residents have renewed their demand for urgent, long-term measures to save their homes and livelihoods.