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Strengthen the Civil Society Capacity and Voice on

Water Co-operation

(Following the year of water co-operation 2013)

State of

Tista River

Shekh Sadi

Md. Bodrud-Doza

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State of the Tista River

Introduction

Tista River, a tributary of the Jamuna River (Brahmaputra River), is flowing

through India and Bangladesh. Tista River is an important river of the

northern region of Bangladesh. Actually it originates in Chitamu Lake in the

Sikkim Himalayas at an altitude of about 7,200 m and comes down first to

the Darjeeling plain and then to the Duar plain of West Bengal (India). It

enters Bangladesh at the Kharibari border of Nilphamari district. After

passing through Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts

this deluge has fall into the Jamuna south of Chilmari riverport. The total

length of the river is about 315 km, of which nearly 115 km lies within

Bangladesh.

The land movement, earthquakes, floods and geological structural changes

in the northern part of Bangladesh affected the original flows of the

Karatoya, Atrai and Jamuneshwari rivers. The present Tista is the result of

these changes and the accumulated flows of the Karatoya, Atrai and

Jamuneshwari rivers.

Actually the Bangla name Tista comes from Tri-Srota or three flows. The

flow of the Tista is greatest duringthe summer (June to September), when

the monsoon rains are heaviest and glaciers supply abundant melt water. At

present flow of this river already is in reduced state & it has been affected

irrigation process of this area due to Tista Barrage. Teesta has already

receded to knee-deep level at present. The river also provides livelihood

opportunities directly or indirectly to approximately 9.15 million people,

around 7.3 percent of the total population of Bangladesh, in five northern

districts but in the near future it is estimated that this condition will

increase vulnerability to this people and over the hydro-environment of our

country.

Fig: Maps of Tista River

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Fig: Satellite image of Tista River

Fig: Water flow through Tista River

Tista River in the past

In the remote past Tista river was blessed and resource for all. Many people

including farmers were depended on the river. The water quality and

quantity was sufficient and the flow of the river was adequate. River bed

siltation was not as remarkable. Pollution was not effect on the river as like

present. The farmers could use the water for their irrigation sector easily.

The fisher man could catch fish from the river easily and could meet their

livelihood- needs from the river. Transportation and navigation system was

easy. Ecosystem and biodiversity was in a balance condition.

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Present Condition of Tista River:

The Tista river is under threat of disappearing underground. The cascade of

run-of-the-river dams built on the Tista and its tributaries require

extensive tunneling in a geologically, ecologically and culturally sensitive

area. Large scale sand and stone mining is posing great threat to Tista.

Fluvial discharge affects due to weak monsoonal precipitation. The river is

being silted due to sand, clay and stone.

The depth of the river has decreased. The flow of water is less than the past.

Dams building reduce the flow of water and causes excessive siltation and

river bank erosion.

Fig: Tista Barrage, Tista Railway and Highway Bridge

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What will happen in future?

If this condition is continuing the possible scenario will be happen like

bellow:

River bed will be silt up. Water quality and quantity will be decrease. Pollution will affect widely. Transportation and navigation system will be fully stopped. Ecosystem and biodiversity will be destroyed. Farmers who were depended on Teesta Rivers water for their

irrigation will face a great problem.

The local farmers have to suffer due to the desertification effect. The economic level of the fisher man will be fall down. The river will be dry up.

Recommendation

Tista is a fourth biggest trans-boundary river of our country. About 21

million Bangladeshi people live in the basin of river Tista and their life and

livelihood depend on it. Bangladesh has to irrigate 632, 000 hectares of

farming land with water from the Tista during the dry season. To save the

Tista we should focus on some issues. These are-

No more dams must be allowed. Collective effort in the form of a sustained campaign by all concerned

about democracy, self-determination and environmental and social

justice to save the Tista River.

Water co-operation with India. Sustainable river management. Dragging in some places of Tista River. The government needs to take initiative to implement the National

Water Policy 1999 to save water resources of the country and ensure

proper management of water resources.