Teesta Mining Suspended in Jalpaiguri After Flash Flood, Over 4,500 Lose Jobs

Prior to the holiday season, over 4,500 people in the Jalpaiguri district who worked in the mining of minor minerals like sand, stones, and pebbles from the Teesta have lost their jobs as a result of the October 4 flash flood in Sikkim.

After the flood, Indian Army forces are working on Sunday to reopen North Sikkim via a Bailey bridge.
After the flood, Indian Army forces are working on Sunday to reopen North Sikkim via a Bailey bridge.
PTI visual
Many of the Indian Army's weapons, ammo, and explosives were found downstream in the districts of Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar after the flood carried them away from the higher levels of Sikkim. Although they have defused some of these devices, the army is currently looking for others. The mining of sand and other minor minerals at the Teesta has been suspended in order to avoid any casualties or injuries.

According to reports, Jalpaiguri has been given license to extract minor minerals from 82 sites across 15 rivers. However, authorization for the Teesta will be given in due time, according to a source.

The Jalpaiguri district administration official gave the following explanation for why the mining of minor minerals had been suspended: "A number of things, including mine detonators, mortar shells, and other explosives, had been defused. However, there is a chance that there is more in the river.

Every day, 1,200 trucks from the Teesta riverbed in the Jalpaiguri area transport minor minerals. Typically, each truck has four personnel who load and unload the cargo.

"Now that the monsoon is finished, the Teesta's water levels are quite low. Normally, we begin mining around the end of September, but due to the flash flood this year, the government has not yet given us permission. The truck owners' wages have halted, just like those of the workers. But we have to pay the wages of our drivers. The secretary of the Jalpaiguri District United Truck Owners' Association, Sanjib Ghosh, said, "We hope the administration lets us draw sand and stones after Durga Puja."

Some of the locals living on both sides of the river had removed mortar shells and other such objects after the flash flood. When the kid's father attempted to crack open a mortar shell, an explosion occurred in the Kranti block of the district, killing the little boy and injuring six others. A few days ago, a mine detonator that had flown onto the farmer's field near the river bank in Kranti hurt him.

"The state fire services department, district police, and the army are still searching." It used tools to locate these kinds of things. The river moved a lot of silt downstream after depositing it. We have no idea what may be hidden among the rubble. If employees begin to draw sand and stones, there is a chance that they could experience comparable explosions and lose limbs. Mining has been halted because of this, the spokesman said.