Daily News Analysis

Sikkim flash floods - Chungthang dam

14 Oct,2023 Download Pdf 3 Min Read

Why in News

There is a popular folk tale in Sikkim about two rivers, the male Rangeet and female Rungnyu (Teesta), and how the Rangeet turned back angrily after losing a race.
In 2021, a protest song gave a modern twist to this tale, referring to the Teesta's rage at hydropower projects.
On October 4, 2022, the South Lhonak glacial lake in northwest Sikkim breached its embankments and burst.
This caused flash floods in the Teesta river basin downstream.
The floods swept away 14 bridges and damaged a major hydropower dam.
According to government data, the floods damaged 1,825 houses.
At least 94 people lost their lives and 78 are still missing.
Over 2,500 displaced people have been moved to 21 relief camps.
The song predicting the Teesta's rage at hydropower projects seems prophetic now after the glacial lake burst flooding.

The Sikkim flash floods 2023 has led to wash away of Chungthang dam by flooding of the Teesta River.
The dam and hydroelectric power station with 1200 MW capacity is located in Chungthang in Sikkim.
It is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project commenced operation in 2017, used for power generation.
Teesta river:

The trans-Himalayan river is a tributary of Brahmaputra River.
It that traces through the states of Sikkim and West Bengal in India and Rangpur in Bangladesh.
Rangeet River is its main tributary

Green Climate Fund (GCF)

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has recently approved over USD 120 million to support climate resilience projects in Ghana, the Maldives, and Mauritania. This funding aims to assist these countries i

Share It

Quad Critical Minerals Initiative

The Quad Critical Minerals Initiative launched by the United States, India, Australia, and Japan marks a significant shift in global geopolitics and economic strategy, especially with regard to cr

Share It

NITI Aayog's Proposal

NITI Aayog's proposed roadmap to boost India's chemical exports is a significant step toward enhancing the country's position in global chemical supply chains and addressing existing i

Share It

The newly introduced 1% tax on outbound remittances under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) by the United States has raised concerns about its potential impact on global remittance flows, particu

Share It

pulse cultivation

The Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has launched an important initiative to promote pulse cultivation in India, especially to

Share It

Gini Coefficient

The Gini coefficient is a key measure used in economics to quantify income inequality within a country or region. Developed by the Italian statistician Corrado Gini, it serves as an essential tool

Share It

Onge Tribe

The Onge tribe, one of the most ancient and primitive tribes of India, is a fascinating yet vulnerable community that resides on Little Andaman Island. Recently, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ad

Share It

Nipah Virus

Nipah Virus (NiV) is an emerging zoonotic virus that poses a serious health risk due to its high mortality rate and ability to spread through both animal-to-human and human-to-human transmission.

Share It

WHO’s "3 by 35" Initiative

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently launched the "3 by 35" initiative, which aims to reduce the harmful consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks globally. This is part

Share It

Bond Yield

According to Bank of Baroda Research, the yield on India’s benchmark 10-year government bonds is expected to stay soft (low) in July. This indicates stable or easing borrowing costs for the

Share It