A forum of political leaders, trade union representatives and educators plans to inform chief minister Mamata Banerjee how illegal sand and stone mining from rivers and unplanned construction of high-rises and dams have severely harmed the environment in north Bengal.

Such practices have contributed to devastating landslides and floods in the hills and plains on October 5 this year, they said.

As a part of their initiative, representatives of the Jami Jibika Paribesh Bachao Avijan (Land, Livelihood, and Environment Protection Movement) — a 29-member forum formed in March this year — will send a memorandum to chief minister Mamata Banerjee through the divisional commissioner of Jalpaiguri on Friday.

“Over 100 landslides occurred and incessant rainfall — over 300mm within just 12 hours — flooded vast areas of these districts, displacing thousands of residents,” said Avijit Majumder, a representative of the forum. “One of the major causes of such devastation is uncontrolled river mining and the construction of dams. We will send a memorandum to the chief minister, seeking appropriate steps to stop these practices, which in turn can reduce such natural disasters.”

In the light of recent disasters across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, the state government must draw up comprehensive plans to maintain the region’s ecological balance and protect its environment, they said.

On March 30, 2025, the forum also held a convention in Siliguri to protest the Bengal government’s decision to decision to allow the use of up to 30 per cent of tea garden land for non-tea purposes.

Since then, the forum has held a number of conventions across the region to apprise people of these issues.

Samik Chakraborty, a trade union leader, said that while organising conventions to secure tea workers’ rights over their land, it became evident that large-scale projects, like the ongoing Sivok–Rangpo railway project and construction of dams over the Teesta river, are severely affecting the region’s ecological stability, including National Highway 10, the principal highway that connects Sikkim and Kalimpong with Siliguri and rest of the country.

“We will appeal for the cancellation of the Sivok–Rangpo railway project and demand a halt of the construction of all large and medium-sized dams in the Himalayan regions of Darjeeling and Sikkim,” Chakraborty said.

The forum also called for an immediate end to deforestation, and sought the declaration of eco-sensitive zones (from Laltong Busty near the Sevoke to Chungthang and Melli to the upper ridges of Rangeet), installation of rain gauge stations in vulnerable areas, and scientific studies to prevent disasters such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), said its representatives.