Lok Sabha Question No. 2901 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Flooding of the Teesta River
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2901

## ANSWERED ON 12.12.2024

## FLOODING OF THE TEESTA RIVER

## 2901. DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has undertaken any initiatives to address the recurring flood of the Teesta River in Jalpaiguri district and if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken in implementation of the flood control projects including the funds allocated; and

(b) whether the Government is collaborating with the State Government of West Bengal to install permanent water conservation structures in flood-prone areas of Jalpaiguri and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) Flood  management  and  anti-erosion  schemes  are  formulated  and  implemented  by  concerned  State Governments as per their priority. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical  guidance  and  also  promotional  financial  assistance  for  management  of  floods  in  critical  areas.  To strengthen the structural  measures of flood management, Ministry had implemented during XI & XII Flood Management Plan (FMP) for providing Central Assistance to States for works related to river management, flood  control,  anti-erosion,  etc.  which  subsequently  continued  as  a  component  of  "Flood  Management  and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP) for the period from 2017-18 to 2020-21 and further extended up to 2026. Central  Assistance  (CA)  of  Rs  11.31  Crore  has  been  released  to  the  State  of  West  Bengal  under  FMP component benefitting Jalpaiguri district.

For Non-structural measures, Central Water Commission (CWC) is the nodal Organisation entrusted with the task of flood forecasting & early flood warnings in the country. The network has been established in consultation  with  the  State  Governments  and  UTs.  Besides  short-range  forecasts  with  response  time  of  24 hours,  CWC  has  also  developed  basin  wise  flood  forecasting  model  based  on  rainfall-runoff  mathematical modelling for 7 days' advance advisory at its forecasting stations in order to provide more lead time to the local authorities  to  plan  evacuation  of  people  &  take  other  remedial  measures. There  are  two  flood  forecasting stations in Jalpaiguri district viz. Domohani on river Teesta and NH-31 on river Jaldhaka.

(b) Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan : Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR)  campaign in rural and urban areas of  all  districts  (all  blocks  and  municipalities)  of  the  country  including  Jalpaiguri  district  of West Bengal. The campaign has five focused interventions which inter-alia includes rainwater harvesting & water  conservation.  Under  this  campaign,  7,841  water-related  works  (Water  Conservation,  Rain  Water Harvesting, Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies, Reuse and Recharge Structures and Watershed Development) have been completed in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal during 22.03.2021 to 10.12.2024.

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