Teesta deal not possible without West Bengal: Mamata

Chief minister of the West Bengal state in India, Mamata Banerjee, has said while they have love for Bangladesh, it will not be possible to allow the implementation of the Teesta deal. As a primary reason for this stand, she said that previously this meeting would be held with everyone on a tripartite level. The state would be called concerning the state river. But now these talks are being held on a bilateral level. It is not possible to have talks or any deal regarding Teesta in exclusion of the state.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee was speaking yesterday, Monday, at a press briefing at the state capital Kolkata.

Mamata Banerjee yesterday sent a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi regarding Ganges and Teesta water sharing agreements. She mentioned this during the press briefing too.

The West Bengal chief minister also expresses annoyance at the renewal of the Ganges water-sharing treaty. She summoned the press briefing yesterday basically regarding the occupation of government lands in different places of the state. She gave an outline of what measures would be taken in this regard. It was at this briefing that she raised the issue of Ganges and Teesta water-sharing agreements with Bangladesh.

Speaking about the talks between the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina in Delhi regarding the renewal of the Ganges water-sharing treaty, the chief minister said that there has be no dredging of the Ganges for long and no restoration work either. As a result, floods and erosion are on a rise. There are problems with Teesta too. These are not bilateral issues. The state's health is involved. Yet an MoU was signed in exclusion of the state.

Ten MoUs were signed between India and Bangladesh on Saturday, including the renewal of the Ganges waster-sharing treaty. Prime minister Modi said a technical team would shortly be sent to Bangladesh regarding Teesta water management that side.

The chief minister said, "If water is given, the people here will face problems and the centre is aware of this. Even then they want ahead and did this without consulting the state. I have sent a letter to the prime minister in this regard. I have love for Bangladesh, but it is difficult to do anything at the cost of West Bengal."

The chief minister said, a 14MW hydroelectricity project has been set up at Sikkim with the construction of a large dam. As a result, in winter the water flow in the north of West Bengal decreases. The centre is aware of this, but still they want ahead with the agreement.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, a source of Trinamool Congress said that the party will also raise the issue regarding the central government's unilateral signing of the MoU, in the Lok Sabha. They are speaking with other parties too for support in this regard.

The Ganges water-sharing treaty between Bangladesh and India ends in 2016. An expert team of Trinamool Congress has said that if this treaty is implemented, central West Bengal's Malda and Nadia in Murshidabad will face increased threat of floods and erosion.

Saying that the Farakka barrage is the main cause of erosion in Murshidabad and Malda, Trinamool Congress claims that in 2017 Bihar's chief minister Nitish Kumar had also opposed Farakka barrage. He had said that the floods could not be controlled by embankments.

In the past, the left front government under CPIM leadership had also strongly opposed the Teesta treaty. Referring to that, Trinamool Congress has said that it is only natural that the needs of the people of the state will be given priority by the state's parties. That was why in 2015 Narendra Modi was taken the West Bengal chief minister along on the Bangladesh visit.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee referred to that at the press briefing on Monday, saying this time the state was excluded and the talks were held on a bilateral level. The state cannot accept this, she said.