The piece of land which was once a raging river Teesta

Man-made curb in the upstream has turned Teesta a wild river in monsoon and a desert in winter.
There was a time when farmers used to yield bumper crops in the adjacent lands of the Teesta river.
People there could navigate effortlessly throughout the year, catch fishes in large numbers. But now, the almost dried up river takes a huge toll on the people and its environment.
Life itself is ceasing to flourish in the piece of land where once raging waves of the Teesta used to flow. Everywhere around is a grey and grim.
Layers of sand from the river bed have taken over the nearby fertile lands with the wind.
Nowadays, there is not enough water in winter for optimal agriculture.

Farmers need access to underground irrigation by machine and thus farming has become less profitable.
Farmer, fisherman, boatman and general shoal dweller alike, people here hope and wait for the government to take much-needed measures, including the finalisation of a fair water sharing treaty with India, in order to restore the year-round navigability that can alleviate suffering.