United News of Bangladesh

Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud on Sunday said he is confused whether Teesta water mega plan would be a good project without any help from India. “The water that comes through Teesta… without help from India what will happen,” he said while responding to a question during briefing reporters regarding the outcome of the regular ECNEC meeting. He said that there were some surface level talks in the ECNEC meeting regarding the Teesta mega project proposed to be done by China. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus recently had a visit in China where the discussion of the construction of Teesta mega project featured. The adviser said that the water that cones through the river Teesta has to be utlised fully. In this connection, he mentioned that there should be a reservoir to store the water. But till now no final plan has been made for this purpose. BNP backs reform efforts, says Salahuddin “A surface level plan was presented from Chinese side some years back, but this cannot be said a project,” he said. The adviser said that in principle the interim government is still at that stage till now. “Actually, can we make a project here?  Can it be a good project with the current water flow in the river?” he questioned. But he confirmed that China has agreed in principle to take up a project here. “There should be a feasibility study first, and that has not been done,” Mahmud added. He also said that there are blue print type papers for this, but there is no actual plan for this project.

The government is trying to implement mega projects in the Teesta to permanently prevent the erosion of the Teesta River and prevent floods, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman. The minister also said the design and project profile has been completed. The state minister made the remarks while inspecting the flood-affected areas of Teesta river at Gatiyasham area of Rajarhat in Kurigram on Friday morning. The state minister said, "It is uncertain when it will be completed. However, if the project is completed, the people of Teesta will not have any more misery." He added that heavy rains and onrushing waters have caused flash floods in four districts including Kurigram. The government is working to alleviate the plight of those affected by the floods and erosion. Each of the four districts has been allotted 50 MT of rice, Tk 5 lakh, 4,000 packets of dry food, Tk 2 lakh more for cattle food and 100 bundles of corrugated iron sheets. Arrangements will be made for the rehabilitation of each family affected by floods and river erosion, he said. At least 1017 families in three unions of Rajarhat were affected by Teesta erosion. Later, relief materials including 10 kg of rice, 1 kg of chira and half a kg of pulses and oil were distributed among the affected families at Sarishabari Government Primary School ground. Kurigram-2 MP Panir Uddin Ahmed, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohsin, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Superintendent of Police Syeda Jannat Ara and District Council Chairman Zafar Ali were present at the event among others.