Teesta water
Kolkata's The Telgraph of 5 September 2011 has printed an interesting map under the headline “Didi Dams bursts on Delhi”. Salient features of the map are reproduced below:
The Teesta rises in the Dzongu Glacier in Sikkim and flows for 315 km. India is building the Rambhi Dam near Kalimpong, and the Kalijhora dam a few kms downstream. In Jalpaiguri, the Gajoldoba barrage is already in operation conserving the Teesta waters to feed the Teesta canal that presently irrigates 60,000 hectares but will eventually irrigate 9.22 lacs hectares. No shortage of water here! The diverted Teesta canal contains so much water that a hydel project is in operation at the Phansidewa Dam near Siliguri where it takes a sharp turn southwards into West Bengal, within striking distance of Tetulia in Bangladesh.
The questions arise: what quantity of water is 30% we get now, vis-à-vis 50% that we expected? After feeding 4 dams and a huge irrigation canal in India, what amount of water trickles down the Teesta into Bangladesh? Do our water experts know how much is 50% of 0? Why there is no mention of Feni River?
Also bear in mind that all Himalayan glaciers are melting fast. How long will the small Dzongu last?
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