Teesta must be saved, but no one seems to care: Mamata Banerjee

India's West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed strong concern over the deteriorating condition of the Teesta River, accusing both the Sikkim state government and India's central government of destroying one of North Bengal's most vital rivers through unchecked hydropower projects.

Speaking at the state secretariat Uttar Kanya in Siliguri today (10 November), during a meeting held to review flood damage and launch new development projects, Mamata said that while "everyone keeps shouting about sharing Teesta water with Bangladesh", no one seems to think about saving the river itself.

"They sometimes shout about giving Teesta's water to Bangladesh, but no one thinks about saving Teesta. In Sikkim, they have built 14 hydropower projects and blocked the river. When floods occur, all the water rushes downstream, devastating Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, and Naxalbari," she said.

"Isn't blocking the Teesta a crime? Isn't it a social or criminal offence? How could the central government give permission for such projects?" she questioned.

The chief minister blamed excessive rainfall, release of water from Bhutan, and ongoing hydropower projects in Sikkim for the recent floods and landslides that ravaged North Bengal.

Mamata further stated that 43% of West Bengal is affected by floods every year, causing massive losses of life and property. 

She highlighted that the catchment areas of major rivers such as Teesta, Torsa, Raidak, and Sankosh lie in Bhutan and Sikkim, where heavy rainfall leads to flooding in Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar districts.

"Our forests, farmlands, and tea gardens are being destroyed. Yet the central government remains indifferent," she said. 

Mamata noted that the state had earlier proposed forming a joint river commission with Bhutan to better manage transboundary rivers.

She also pointed out that DVC, Panchet, and Maithon dams release water during heavy rains, flooding Burdwan, Bankura, Birbhum, Howrah, Hooghly, and Midnapore in South Bengal. 

"When it rains in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, or Bihar, the water flows down the Ganga and floods Bengal. These are man-made disasters," she said.

Turning to political issues, Mamata slammed the central government over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, calling it "unrealistic and politically motivated".

"It's impossible to complete the SIR process in such a short time. This is being done under BJP's instructions. People have the right to fair inclusion in voter lists. It should be given two years' time," she said. 

"They know they can't win elections, so they're trying to manipulate voter lists — just like demonetisation, locking people up in an SIR trap," she said. 

On BJP's repeated allegations of illegal infiltration by Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, Mamata questioned the central government's responsibility.

"Who controls the borders? Who manages train and air services? Who oversees the central security agencies? All of this falls under the union home minister. If infiltration happens, then he should resign immediately," she said, referring to Home Minister Amit Shah.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, senior officials from various departments, and members of the media.

Mamata's remarks have reignited the debate over the Teesta water-sharing issue between India and Bangladesh, which has remained unresolved for more than a decade due to opposition from the West Bengal government.