TEESTA DEAL

Dhaka wants signing of agreed draft

Indian parliamentary body goes to Sikkim Friday

In the wake of an upcoming visit by an Indian parliamentary team to Sikkim, the origin of the Teesta River, senior officials of the government reiterated that Dhaka wants the water sharing agreement to be signed in accordance with the draft agreed by Bangladesh and India in January 2011.
They, however, told The Independent yesterday that such a visit right after the Prime Minister Hasina’s trip to India is a positive one.
According to media reports, the members of the Indian parliamentary standing committee on power will undertake a four-day visit to Sikkim to see if eight hydroelectric projects in the state are reducing the flow of the Teesta. There is a perception that due to these projects, the Teesta River is having a reduced flow of water.
When asked, as both the countries have an agreed to a draft to be signed, what might be the necessity of such a visit, a senior official said, “I heard in New Delhi of such a visit. It is their internal matter. Let them do whatever they want to. At least, things are moving.”
Perhaps, he said, “They (the parliamentary committee) want to verify the notion that the Teesta’s flow of water is reduced due to some projects undertaken by the Sikkim state government.”
To a question, he said, “Our position is crystal clear. We want the deal to be signed in accordance with the draft agreed by Dhaka and New Delhi in January, 2011 and which was supposed to be signed during the visit of former Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to Dhaka on September 6-7, 2011.”   
The officials pointed out to the joint statement issued by the two governments on Hasina’s visit to New Delhi from April 7 to 10 where, he said, “the Prime Minister requested Indian Prime Minister Naredra Modi to conclude the agreement soon as per the draft agreed upon by the two sides in January, 2011.”
“So, there is no scope for any deviation from our position,” said another senior official.
About different proposals by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose last-minute objection stopped the deal to be

signed, for consultations between New Delhi, Dhaka and Kolkata by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other notions, the officials said these are parts of their internal process to reach a consensus which do not affect Bangladesh.
“We deal with none other than the Indian central government,” said the official.
During Prime Minister Hasina’s visit to India, Mamata Banerjee proposed that Bangladesh should look for alternative sources of water other than the Teesta. On April 8, she said in the Indian capital that the Teesta does not have enough water to meet the needs of Bangladesh and, hence, it should seek water from other rivers like the Torsa and the Jaldhaka in the northern part of West Bengal. But, her proposal was rejected by Dhaka.
In February, 2015, the West Bengal Chief Minister conveyed to Prime Minister Hasina in Dhaka, “There are some technical issues that needed resolution so as to ensure that the matter is resolved in a way that benefits both sides and safeguards the welfare of the populations that are dependent on the Teesta waters.”
“We are going to stick to the draft (of the agreement) both the countries agreed before Dr Singh’s visit to Dhaka,” a top government official had told The Independent on the remarks of Mamata.
About the technical issues, he said that both the countries had agreed the draft after addressing all the technical issues.
“All the technical issues were addressed before agreeing on the draft of the agreement. Water Secretaries of both the countries initialled the draft that would ensure the share of Teesta water on 50-50 basis,” he said.
To a question regarding the technical issues raised by Mamata Banerjee, the official said, “We deal with the Indian central government about the Teesta water sharing agreement.”

TEESTA DEAL

Dhaka wants signing of agreed draft

Indian parliamentary body goes to Sikkim Friday

In the wake of an upcoming visit by an Indian parliamentary team to Sikkim, the origin of the Teesta River, senior officials of the government reiterated that Dhaka wants the water sharing agreement to be signed in accordance with the draft agreed by Bangladesh and India in January 2011. They, however, told The Independent yesterday that such a visit right after the Prime Minister Hasinas trip to India is a positive one. According to media reports, the members of the Indian parliamentary standing committee on power will undertake a four-day visit to Sikkim to see if eight hydroelectric projects in the state are reducing the flow of the Teesta. There is a perception that due to these projects, the Teesta River is having a reduced flow of water. When asked, as both the countries have an agreed to a draft to be signed, what might be the necessity of such a visit, a senior official said, I heard in New Delhi of such a visit. It is their internal matter. Let them do whatever they want to. At least, things are moving. Perhaps, he said, They (the parliamentary committee) want to verify the notion that the Teestas flow of water is reduced due to some projects undertaken by the Sikkim state government. To a question, he said, Our position is crystal clear. We want the deal to be signed in accordance with the draft agreed by Dhaka and New Delhi in January, 2011 and which was supposed to be signed during the visit of former Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to Dhaka on September 6-7, 2011. The officials pointed out to the joint statement issued by the two governments on Hasinas visit to New Delhi from April 7 to 10 where, he said, the Prime Minister requested Indian Prime Minister Naredra Modi to conclude the agreement soon as per the draft agreed upon by the two sides in January, 2011. So, there is no scope for any deviation from our position, said another senior official. About different proposals by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose last-minute objection stopped the deal to be signed, for consultations between New Delhi, Dhaka and Kolkata by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other notions, the officials said these are parts of their internal process to reach a consensus which do not affect Bangladesh. We deal with none other than the Indian central government, said the official. During Prime Minister Hasinas visit to India, Mamata Banerjee proposed that Bangladesh should look for alternative sources of water other than the Teesta. On April 8, she said in the Indian capital that the Teesta does not have enough water to meet the needs of Bangladesh and, hence, it should seek water from other rivers like the Torsa and the Jaldhaka in the northern part of West Bengal. But, her proposal was rejected by Dhaka. In February, 2015, the West Bengal Chief Minister conveyed to Prime Minister Hasina in Dhaka, There are some technical issues that needed resolution so as to ensure that the matter is resolved in a way that benefits both sides and safeguards the welfare of the populations that are dependent on the Teesta waters. We are going to stick to the draft (of the agreement) both the countries agreed before Dr Singhs visit to Dhaka, a top government official had told The Independent on the remarks of Mamata. About the technical issues, he said that both the countries had agreed the draft after addressing all the technical issues. All the technical issues were addressed before agreeing on the draft of the agreement. Water Secretaries of both the countries initialled the draft that would ensure the share of Teesta water on 50-50 basis, he said. To a question regarding the technical issues raised by Mamata Banerjee, the official said, We deal with the Indian central government about the Teesta water sharing agreement.