SIKKIM’S LOST SPRINGS - A Story of Water Scarcity and Survival
Sikkim, despite being rich in rivers, is facing a severe water crisis. In South Sikkim, where rainfall has dropped sharply, villagers like Durga have stepped in to fill the gaps left by failing systems. Once a farmer, he now works as an unpaid “barefoot engineer,” keeping water flowing when infrastructure cannot. This is the untold story of survival in the hills.
SIKKIM’S DISASTER OF NEGLECT : When People’s Voices Go Unheard
Despite Warnings by environment experts, development projects like dams are turning out to be deadly. Destroying mountains, flooded rivers, The flash floods, cloudburst are not just natural, they are man made disasters.
Newsreel Asia’s producer Surabhi Singh travelled to Northeastern state of Sikkim to explore how a dam aggravated the flash floods of October 2023.
Mayalmit Lepcha, general secretary of the Affected Citizens of Teesta—a grassroots environmental group in Sikkim that unites local residents, particularly indigenous Lepcha communities—explains how their deep bond with nature compelled them to resist reckless development in the fragile, young mountains of Sikkim.
Why Sikkim Has the Highest Suicide Rate
Narsisus was addicted for 27 years and survived multiple suicide attempts. Today, he runs a modest community rehab centre. With no frills, only a few beds, basic meals and peer support, it offers a fragile but vital lifeline for those who walk through its doors. His journey, from the darkest moments to helping others avoid the same brink, unfolds in a state battling one of India’s deadliest mental health crises: Sikkim.