Inter Basin Water Transfer Link Project of India

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India goes ahead with linking rivers
Say environmentalists

Staff Correspondent
The Daily Star
Fri. February 25, 2005

India is pressing ahead with its river-linking project though Indian High Commission in Dhaka had said that the project was still at a conceptual level, environment activists yesterday said.

Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa) at a press conference yesterday expressed its worries over India's 'continuing with' river-linking programme.

Bapa President Prof Muzaffer Ahmad while speaking at the press conference held at the National Press Club said, "We must mobilise people in a movement to dissuade India from unilaterally diverting water of the transboundary rivers."

"Instead of going ahead with the project, India should undertake a review of the Farakka Barrage," he added.

India's central government has constituted a committee headed by its water resources secretary to convince the state governments of the prospect of river-linking project, Prof Ahmad said citing from a news item run by the January issue of Indian magazine Dams, Rivers and People.

Quoting a water resources ministry letter to noted Indian environment activist Medha Patkar, Prof Ahmad said that India's National Water Development Agency had identified 30 inter-basin water transfer proposals including 16 peninsular and 14 Himalayan to be implemented by 2005.

Besides, the letter said that according to the National Common Minimum Programme, India will continue with the river-linking programme with focus on peninsular component.

If implemented, the peninsular aspect of the water transfer move, which calls for withdrawal of water from the transboundary rivers in the upstream areas within the Indian territory, will be hazardous for Bangladesh, said Prof Ahmad.

It is disappointing that the Bangladesh government has not yet officially registered any concern or protest against the move, he added.

India should recognise that its river-linking project is based on an ecologically unsound premise and stop proceeding especially with the Himalayan component of the project, Ahmad said adding that India must address its neighbours' legitimate concerns regarding transboundary rivers.

Bapa Joint Secretary Dr M Abdul Motin said that his organisation is gearing up for a movement at national, regional, and international levels for an ecological approach to rivers.

M Feroze Ahmed and Syed ANM Wahed, among other Bapa officials, were present at the press conference.

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