Senior engineers and officials of the state irrigation department ended a week-long field survey in the Dooars on Thursday to assess the impact of rivers and streams which descend from Bhutan.

"We surveyed the impact of these rivers and streams across the Dooars region spread across the Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts. We will prepare a comprehensive study report and submit it to the state government, which will send it to the Centre so that the findings can be shared with Bhutan during bilateral talks,” said Krishnendu Bhowmik, the chief engineer (northeast) of the department.

Altogether, 72 rivers and streams, which include prominent rivers like Jaldhaka, Torsha, Reti-Sukriti and Gabubasra, enter India from Bhutan.

Over the years, residents of the Dooars, tea industry representatives of the tea industry and elected lawmakers have flagged the problems they face due to these rivers.

“The rivers carry dolomite dust, sand and pebbles. Dolomite pollutes the banks of these rivers and affects tea plantations. Also, as these items get deposited on the river beds, the latter rise and flash floods occur when it rains in Bhutan,” said Suman Kanjilal, the TMC MLA of Alipurduar.

“We want the Centre to take up these issues with Bhutan so that the neighbouring country can take steps to resolve them. I have raised the issue in the Assembly and chief minister Mamata Banerjee has also spoken on it,” he said.

Last year, the Bengal Assembly passed a resolution for a joint river commission with Bhutan on the lines of the one that exists with Bangladesh. There is no joint river commission of India and Bhutan. A joint group of experts hold meetings on the rivers.

“The last meeting was held in 2023. There are indications that a round of talks will be held this year. The field survey was done so that its findings could be included in the talks. The state government will continue to press for a joint river commission with Bhutan,” said a bureaucrat.

Senior officials of certain central ministries, along with representatives from Bengal and Assam, are slated to attend the meeting.

The survey team found that the beds of some rivers and streams had risen with sand and stone deposits. It was also found that piles of dolomite dust were kept near the India-Bhutan border, close to river banks, said a member.