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




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









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.

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
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.