Agartala: As many as 14 irrigation projects and several flood-control initiatives in north and south Tripura have been stalled over past a decade due to objection by Bangladesh, said state’s Irrigation Minister Badal Choudhury here on Saturday.
Mr Choudhury stated that after a long persuasion and several rounds of bilateral discussion, Bangladesh had agreed to allow Tripura to extract water from Feni River in south Tripura but retained the ban on withdrawal of water for irrigation purpose.
“Besides irrigation, Bangladesh has also objected to flood control measures along river embankments and as a result, inundation in both sides of River Manu, Muhuri and Feni has become a major problem,” said Mr Choudhury.
Bangladesh has agreed over Tripura Govt’s proposal to install 6.5 lakh gallon capacity water treatment plants near international border, which would run with 250 cubic metre water of Feni River, Mr Choudhury said adding, “We have also assured them that India would not object to Bangladesh’s effort to extract water on mutual understanding.”
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had agreed to resolve the dispute over sharing of the water of river Feni, which had been continuing between India and Pakistan since 1958, during her last Delhi visit.
India had been trying to draw water from the river for irrigation projects in exchange of resolving erosion problem in Bangladesh’s side of the bordering river. Due to objection from Bangladesh, as many as 14 small water projects of Tripura were stalled for past few years and the issue was discussed in several Joint River Commission meeting.
Mr Choudhury, however, pointed out Tripura had been able to ensure irrigation in 1,17,000 hectare of agricultural land of the total 2,55,241 hectare. (UNI)