Inter Basin Water Transfer Link Project of India

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River-link plan finds way to JRC agenda
Dhaka has interests in the multibillion dollar plan: Minister
Pallab Bhattacharya, New Delhi

A controversial proposal to link 37 rivers in India was included in the first session of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) meeting in New Delhi yesterday as a "miscellaneous" item, which Bangladesh called a success for it.

Bangladesh has interests in India's plan to interlink major rivers, said Water Resources Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed after a 20-minute one-to-one meeting with his Indian counterpart Arjun Charan Sethi.

The opening session finalised its three-point main agenda of discussion on the progress in implementation of the 1996 Ganges water treaty, share of waters of the Teesta and six other common rivers and flood forecast in the light of havoc caused by floods in India and southwestern Bangladesh in 2001.

Increased cooperation in the area will enable Bangladesh to provide flood warning 56 hours ahead, said officials of both sides.

Emerging from his meeting with Sethi, Hafizuddin told reporters that Bangladesh, as a co-riparian country, has natural interest in whatever happens to all common rivers of the region affecting it.

The meeting between the two ministers at the Taj Palace Hotel preceded the delegation-level JRC talks that split into two sessions, lasting about five hours.

"Given the good relations between the two countries, we can come to a solution through discussions," Hafizuddin said.

Bangladesh is open-minded about the river interlink issue, he said, adding sharing common rivers across the world is a complicated issue.

New Delhi told Dhaka its protests over the river interlink proposal were premature as the ambitious project was only in the planning stages, adds AFP.

"The project is at a very initial stage. We have not yet discussed it with different states and the pre-feasibility study has not even been completed so there should not be any apprehension on the part of Bangladesh," Sethi told reporters after his meeting with Hafizuddin.

He said India would take Bangladesh's interests into account but it was too early for in-depth bilateral discussions on the project.

A taskforce headed by former Indian power minister Suresh Prabhu will examine the project in detail, Sethi said, adding: "When that stage comes, we will certainly look into how much interests are affected within and outside India."

Hafizuddin led a 12-member delegation to the 35th JRC meeting, including Mohammed Sayef Uddin, water resources secretary, and Mukhlesuzzaman, director general of Bangladesh Water Development Board.

The Indian team led by Sethi includes Water Resources Secretary AK Goswami and Chairman of Central Water Commission R Jeyaseelan.

The third and final session of the JRC meeting will be held today before the Bangladesh minister leaves for Kolkata on October 1 and flies to Farakka Barrage and joint observation sites on October 2.

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