Teesta River Tourism

The Teesta River (or Tista River) is a 309 km (192 mi) long river flowing through the Indian states of West Bengal and Sikkim through Bangladesh before emptying to the Bay of Bengal. It carves out from the verdant Himalayas and Singalila in temperate and tropical river Valleys and forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal. It flows through the cities of Rangpo, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong and joins the Jamuna (Brahmaputra) in Bangladesh. It drains an area of 12,540 km2 (4,840 sq mi).
The Teesta River originates in the Himalayas and flows through the Indian States of Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, where it flows into the Brahmaputra. Flowing through the length of Sikkim, the Teesta River is considered to be the lifeline of the state. The Teesta valley in Sikkim is rich in biodiversity, and the river provides livelihoods for the residents along its entire length of 393 km (245 miles).
The Teesta River has become a contested battleground between the government and the indigenous Lepcha and Bhutia communities in Sikkim, India. The government of India hopes to dam the last free-flowing 13 kms (8 miles) of the Teesta River for hydropower. Already over 71 kms (44 miles) of the river – which flows through earthquake-prone, ecologically and geologically fragile terrain – is either in reservoirs or diverted through tunnels for hydropower generation. These dams pose a threat to river communities and the rich biodiversity of the region. Studies of potential projects along the Teesta River lack the rigorous environmental and social assessments necessary and fail to properly address potential long-term cumulative impacts the dams will have.