GANGTOK,: Sensitization camps and setting up of evacuation strategies have been
initiated by the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) for around
19 locations along the Teesta riverine belt identified as vulnerable during
this approaching monsoon.
The degree
of vulnerability varies location-wise but in general, these settlements close
to Teesta River stare at increased threats to life and properties due to two
major concerns. It would be the first monsoon after October 2023 flash flood
which has bulked the Teesta river bed and made its flow unpredictable.
Secondly, heavy rainfall events are expected to swell the river level with no
dams in operation to check Teesta River’s flow this above-normal monsoon.
The SSDMA
along with local authorities have already completed monsoon-related awareness
camps for Melli, Chungthang and Phidang, where they also held Participatory
Rural Appraisal (PRA) for the local populace to pencil the best evacuation
routes in case of flood threats in these vulnerable locations.
As SSDMA
authorities explain, PRA is done in consultation with the local people to draw
a map of local important sites like schools, police station, BAC and food
godowns. The most important objective of PRA is to tell the people where to go
during threats of natural calamities, and to draw the best and quickest route
to the identified safe locations and relief centres. Schools in the area are
already designated as relief centres during such incidents.
Some of
the Teesta belt locations where evacuation maps are to be framed during PRAs are
Sangakalang (Dzongu), Dikchu, Singtam, Adarshgaon, Mamring, Samardong, Golitar,
Rangpo IBM, Bageykhola, Bardang, Majhitar and Sirwani. All these settlements
are close to the Teesta river.
One strong
advisory is that people should be cautious while approaching the rivers, since
heavy upstream rains leads to sudden rise in the water levels as it happened on
Saturday evening. Three persons had ventured into the river for fishing but
were marooned in the middle of Rangpo river on the West Bengal side due to
intense rains. They were later successfully evacuated by the rescue teams.
Instances
of sudden increase in the river’s flow are expected to happen regularly in
coming three months. On this concern, the Central Water Commission (CWC) is
constantly monitoring the water levels and working closely with the State
authorities for giving timely flood alerts through its three Level Forecasting
Sites (LFS).
The CWC
has installed one LFS each at Melli for Teesta river, Rothak for Rangit river
and Singtam for Rani Khola. Despite the heavy downpour of Saturday, the three
rivers are flowing below their warning levels at their respective LFS, as per
the CWC data of Sunday afternoon.
“We are
monitoring the water levels of the rivers of Sikkim every hour and sharing the
updates with the State and district authorities. If there is any abnormal rise,
it will be immediately communicated to the authorities,” said CWC officials to
SIKKIM EXPRESS.
Meanwhile,
the warning levels of the rivers in Sikkim have been revised by the CWC
following the October 2023 flash flood. We have revised the warning level
tentatively based on the Teesta river’s morphology change, siltation and the
new heights the river bed has reached…the flood forecast will be on these
updated levels, said the CWC officials.
The CWC
operates 14 hydrological observation sites in Teesta and Rangit rivers, and
their tributaries.
The CWC
has suggested to the Sikkim government certain structural and non-structural
measures to address the flood and erosion-related challenges in Teesta river
during monsoons.
On
structural measures, it was suggested to install embankments and anti-erosion
flood protection walls on the river banks so that Teesta river do not breach
into human settlements and properties.
One
particular suggestion made by the CWC was to frame floodplain zoning
regulations along the riverine belts. Under this concept, activities are to be
regulated in the river’s vicinity wherein certain activities are permitted or
not permitted at specific distances from the river banks to prevent loss of
lives when flash flood breaks out.
This
suggestion, as informed, is at present in a discussion stage.
