As an international river, there have been serious issues on table with regard to the management and sharing of its water between India and Bangladesh. Besides several existing and proposed mega hydro-dams in the Sikkim-Darjeeling catchment, the Government of West Bengal has diverted almost entire Teesta Water via artificial canals at Teesta (Gajoldoba) Barrage in Jalpaiguri to irrigate its thirsty North Bengal leaving little or no water for Bangladesh.
Despite the warnings we received from the 2023 experience, now in January 2025, the Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on River Valley Projects has given its approval to resume construction of the 1200 MW Teesta III hydroelectric project.
The Hills of Darjeeling have traditionally always has had its 4Ts – tea, tourism, timber & teaching to sustain itself economically. The lay of the land and the lack of natural minerals never allowed us to be a manufacturing or trading hub and through the ages the 4Ts have been the main stay of our economy. The last of the 4Ts, though definitely not the least T, has been the Teaching industry.
Born on July 25, 1945, in Phoobsering Tea Estate, Darjeeling, Kajee Singh’s lifelong dedication to the preservation and formalization of Nepali folk music began in his early years. The son of Maadalaacharya Indrajeet Singh Sardaar, he inherited a deep-rooted passion for music from his family, which had been cultivating the classical folk music tradition of the Gorkha community for generations. His father’s influence, along with his own keen interest in traditional culture, would shape his path and inspire him to bring the Maadal — a revered Nepali musical instrument — to the forefront of Indian music.
Darjeeling’s Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) recently celebrated the graduation of participants from the Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD) adventure and survival skills course. The event showcased the Institute’s dedication to fostering inclusivity, perseverance, and excellence in mountaineering.
TheDC was born ON 18th of Nov, 2013 . It was born at a tumultuous time, when the West Bengal government had banned all local news outlets following the Gorkhaland Andolan of 2013, and we did not have a collective platform reporting on local issues, from local perspectives. The narratives about our place, our people and the perspective about Gorkhas were being shaped by news that were mostly being reported from Kolkata, which were predominantly devoid of grounded truths
In the past 12-years, like a little kid growing up, we have seen Darjeeling Chronicle – the platform you all have cared for, shared, criticized, scolded, but above all loved – GROW.
Deusi is a quintessential Gorkha tradition. It is not just a part of our culture, but it is also one of the threads that binds our community together. It is truly disheartening to hear from my mother that this time around, no one came to our home for Deusi – not even in our entire village. What’s even more troubling is how the vibrant tradition of Deusi, once played with so much vigour and enthusiasm in the hills of Darjeeling, is gradually fading away. Today, the youths who continue to carry forward our tradition can perhaps be counted in the tip of our fingers. It’s a painful reminder of how quickly we are losing touch with our cultural roots.
The budgetary allocation for the NE States has increased significantly, with over 285% growth in the past 8 years from Rs 24,819.18 crores in 2014-15 to Rs 70,874.32 crores in 2021-22. The Government has dedicated over Rs 336,640.97 crores solely for the development of the NE Region, indicating a future of multi-faceted possibilities for the people of the region, economically and socially.
It is heartening to see the Central Government finally take notice of the concerns of the erstwhile peripheral states of the NE, whose inclusivity and integration were not a prime focus of earlier governments. In a similar vein, North Bengal, especially the Darjeeling hills and the Terai and Dooars areas,
I was going through these two receipts from Reliance Smart and could not stop thinking and writing about the plight of our Darjeeling’s tea garden workers and their ongoing demand for 20% Puja bonus.
This article shares a disheartening incident involving a 36-year-old woman from Darjeeling, who was molested. She courageously shared her traumatic experience, in the hopes of inspiring other women, who may be suffering in silence, and encourage them to stand up for themselves. Her goal is that more victims will find the strength to voice their sufferings, rather than suppress it, in order to raise awareness about molestation and protect others, especially children, from such vicious acts.