The West Bengal government has formed an expert committee to review North Bengal’s growing flash-flood and landslide risks and prepare plans for the safer expansion of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik. The panel will examine hazards affecting mountain rivers, urban drainage systems and future development areas across the hills, Terai and Dooars.
The committee will be chaired by mountain expert and Padma Shri awardee Eklabya Sharma. Its remit includes studying repeated flash floods in rivers flowing through the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars, including the Teesta and Torsa, and identifying measures to reduce the risks.
Officials from the district administrations, the state disaster management department, the Geological Survey of India, urban development and municipal affairs departments, and the environment, forest, irrigation and waterways departments will be part of the panel. Researchers and faculty members from the University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University, IIT Kharagpur, North Bengal University, the University of Burdwan and IIEST Shibpur will also be invited to provide advice and technical inputs.
The committee was formed after Darjeeling MP Raju Bista wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on August 31, according to the report. His letter raised concerns about unplanned urban expansion in the hills and the increasing threat of flash floods.
The issues cited in the letter include flash floods caused by breaches in glacial lake dams, intense rainfall, cloudbursts and landslides. It also highlighted the condition of drainage systems in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik, which the report described as old and under increasing pressure.
The panel has been asked to examine early-warning and disaster-mitigation measures and strengthen procedures for disaster preparedness. It will also prepare plans for the future expansion of the four hill towns and identify areas that are geographically stable and suitable for development.
The decision places urban planning and disaster management within the same institutional review. For the four towns, the immediate planning question is not only where expansion can take place, but also whether existing drainage, slope stability and river systems can support additional construction. The committee’s findings are expected to guide the identification of areas considered appropriate for future development.
Welcoming the decision, Bista said the initiative was important for addressing the region’s increasing vulnerability to disasters linked to climate change and geological conditions. He said it would also help ensure that future urban development was based on scientific research and long-term planning.
Sharma, who is from Kurseong, has worked on Himalayan ecosystems and sustainable mountain development for more than four decades. The Union government awarded him the Padma Shri in 2024 for his contributions to science and engineering. The committee’s next task will be to review the region’s risks, preparedness rules and development areas before recommending measures to the state government.
