The Jyoti Basu Centre for Social Studies and Research (JBCSSR) has been actively engaged in research and documentation on contemporary socio-economic and environmental issues, with a special focus on West Bengal and its diverse regions, particularly North Bengal.
As part of this ongoing initiative, JBCSSR will organise a day-long symposium titled “North Bengal: Nature, Emerging Environmental Risks and Livelihood” on 27 December at Rabindra Bhaban in Jalpaiguri.
North Bengal represents a distinctive ecological and cultural landscape where the Himalayas, dense forests, rivers, wetlands, tea plantations and rural settlements coexist in a fragile balance. However, the region is increasingly facing challenges arising from climate change, unplanned development, river degradation, loss of biodiversity and growing livelihood insecurities, particularly in tea garden belts that form the economic and cultural backbone of North Bengal.
The symposium aims to address these concerns through academic deliberations, policy-oriented discussions and collective reflection, with special attention to the sustainability of tea plantations and the livelihoods dependent on them.
Eminent scholars, researchers, environmental experts, activists and practitioners are expected to participate in the programme. The sessions will include presentations followed by open interactions to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and the sharing of ground-level experiences. The organisers have invited interested participants to submit written contributions, including articles or brief papers, on themes related to nature, environment, climate risks, river conservation, biodiversity, tea plantation economy, rural livelihoods, indigenous knowledge systems and allied subjects.
Veteran CPI-M leader and chairman of JBCSSR, Biman Bose, said that while North Bengal shares several developmental challenges with South Bengal, the region has its own distinct identity shaped largely by its tea plantations stretching from Darjeeling to North Dinajpur. He expressed concern over the gradual deterioration of the tea industry, citing the closure of several estates and the growing hardships faced by tea workers and their families. He urged scholars, writers and resource persons to participate in discussions on the livelihood, culture and social realities of North Bengal, noting that one of the objectives of the symposium is to draw the attention of South Bengal to the unique issues of the region.
Rabin Deb, secretary of the Jyoti Basu Centre for Social Studies and Research, said that further details regarding the programme schedule, along with boarding and lodging arrangements for participants, would be communicated shortly.