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Indo-Bangla meet on Tipaimukh dam begins Aug 27

Admin — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:42:30 +0000

India has told Bangladesh that it is now ready for a bilateral meeting of experts from both the countries on Tipaimukh dam for two days in New Delhi from August 27.
According to a senior official of the Central Water Commission in Shillong, the members of this expert group, to be drawn from both the nations, have already been constituted.
He said the group members are experts in hydrology and river engineering.
A few officials of the flood control and water resources departments will also figure as delegates, according to a report carried by The Telegraph.
The discussion will focus on reaching a consensus on the construction of the 162-foot dam on the Barak.
The Rs 7,600-crore Tipaimukh dam project, meant to control the recurring floods in the Barak valley districts under south Assam and to generate 1,500MW hydel power, has run into various problems.
A number of the NGOs and scientists of the Northeast, particularly in Manipur and Assam’s Cachar district, and Bangladesh are opposing the project.
The opposition party in Bangladesh, the BNP, headed by the former prime minister Khaleda Zia, organised a big motor rally in Sylhet on December 1 last year in protest against the proposed construction of this project.
The Angikar Bangladesh Foundation, spearheaded by some leading civil engineers in that country, has also opposed this project.
The chief director of the NGO, Muhammad Hilaluddin, recently called upon like-minded environmentalists and river specialists of both the countries to join their hands in opposing the project.

-With UNB/New Age input

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Suranjit for jt survey before Tipai dam construction

Admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:44:34 +0000

The railway minister, Suranjit Sengupta, has called for an immediate joint survey by India and Bangladesh before constructing the Tipaimukh dam in Indian territory.
‘Bangladesh and India must conduct a joint survey to resolve controversy over construction of the Tipaimukh dam, the minister said, adding, ‘We should not make any delay to resolve the issue in the greater interests of existing bilateral and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries.’
Suranjit said this while addressing a discussion on Monday organised by Bangladesh-India Friendship Society at National Museum in city’s Shahbagh marking the 40th Victory Day of Bangladesh.
Suranjit said some other longstanding issues, including Teesta Treaty and firing in India-Bangladesh border areas should be settled urgently for the benefit of the two nations.
The railway minister said the government was working hard to develop the railway service and had taken long-term, mid-term and short-term plans in this regard. The Indian government had already assured the government of providing financial support to raise quality of rail service in Bangladesh, he said.
‘Although we have no ample time, we are trying to ensure some development by this time,’ he added.
Suranjit criticised the BNP-led opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s move on Tipaimukh issue and said issuing letter to the Indian government was an undemocratic practice.
Acting Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Sanjoy Battacharya expressed hope that the bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh would be strengthened in future.
BIFS president and University Grants Commission chairman professor AK Azad Chowdhury chaired the discussion followed by a cultural function.
Among others, vice-chancellor of Dhaka University professor AAMS Arefin Siddique and BIFS general secretary Subir Kushari spoke on the occasion.

-With BSS/New Age input

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Tipai dam a ‘death trap’ for Bangladesh: left parties

Admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:42:02 +0000

Left political leaders on Monday described India’s under construction Tipaimukh Dam as the ‘death trap’ for Bangladesh. They said that India was unilaterally building the dam violating agreements with lower riparian Bangladesh as well as international conventions.
India is building the dam on the international river Barak before it splits and enters into Bangladesh as Surma and Kushiyara, which later meet the Meghna, as its main tributaries.
Addressing separate demonstrations in the city organized by Communist Party of Bangladesh and Democratic Left Alliance in protest against the construction of the controversial dam, the left leaders said that India was
going ahead with Tipaimukh dam construction violating the assurance of its
prime minister Manmohan Singh had given to
Bangladesh.
They told the demonstrations in front of the National Press Club that there was no reason for Bangladesh to trust oral commitments of India as it never kept
its commitments on
water issue.
They criticized the government for pursing a subservient foreign policy for which it failed to persuade India not to build the controversial dam above Bangladesh.
The left leaders said that the controversial dam would create severe consequences for the people of Bangladesh, particularly in its northeastern region.
They said that fish and rice production in northeastern districts of Bangladesh would face a serious crisis due to India’s Tipaimukh Dam.
They said that the ecology, ecosystem, biodiversity and livelihood of people of Bangladesh in its northeastern districts would be seriously affected.
They said that the dam would also adversely affect the population in India’s northeast for which they had been opposing the controversial dam.
They asked the government to officially protest against the construction of Tipaimukh Dam by India.
They call upon all
democratic and progressive organizations and people to launch a tough movement against the Indian bid to build the controversial dam.
Chaired by party president Manzurul Ahsan Khan, the CPB rally was also addressed by the party general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, assistant general secretary Syed Abu Zafar and central leader Ashraf Hossain Nazu.
DLA coordinator Mushrafa Mishu chaired the other rally addressed by Ganasanghati Andolon chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Workers Party (Reformed) general secretary Abdus Sattar and Nazrul Islam of Communist League of Bangladesh.

-With New Age input

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People won’t accept India’s Tipai move: Ershad

Admin — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 05:28:50 +0000

Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad on Saturday said the people of Bangladesh would not allow India to construct the Tipaimukh dam on the River Barak because it would spell disaster downstream and turn Sylhet into a desert. ‘India has turned the country’s northern region into a desert by constructing the Farakka Barrage and now it is planning to turn Sylhet into a desert. But Jatiya Party and the people of Bangladesh would not accept the Indian government’s unilateral decision to construct the Tipaimukh dam,’ Erhsad said.
He was addressing a rally on the Sylhet Government Alia Madrassah ground in the city in the afternoon after leading a ‘long march’ from Dhaka towards the frontier town of Zakiganj to protest at New Delhi’s move to go ahead with the controversial project to build a dam on Barak river which feeds Surma, Kushiyara and Meghna rivers downstream.
Expressing his gratitude for India’s active support to the liberation war of Bangladesh, the JP chairman asked New Delhi not to back away from the commitment it had made during prime minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh.
‘India has violated the laws on international rivers by initiating a move unilaterally to build the Tipaimukh dam,’ Ershad said, adding that the Indian government
should consult Bangladesh and conduct a joint survey before taking the move.
The JP chairman said that his party’s campaign against the proposed Tipaimukh dam was aimed at protecting the interest of the countrymen, not for political gains.
‘We have come here not to seek vote but to protect the right and interest of the people of this region and the country,’ Ershad said.
He said the Tipaimukh issue had become a national issue and urged all other political parties to sit for a discussion to make a unanimous decision on it.
JP’s Sylhet divisional coordinator Atiqur Rahman Atiq presided the rally addressed, among others, by the party’s presidium member Kazi Zafar Ahmed, secretary general ABM Ruhul Amin Hawladar, Kazi Firoz Rashid, lawmakers Mujibul Haq Chunnu, Salma Islam, Fazle Rabbi and Lily Chowdhury, Faysal Chisti, organising secretary Abdullah Siddiquee, Swechchhasebak Party president Golam Habib Dulal, Luthfur Rahman Chowdhury Helal and SM Alam.
The caravan will resume its journey towards Zakiganj, some 100 kilometres from Sylhet city, where a rally will be held after the long march, the party sources said.

-With New Age input

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JP starts march towards Tipaimukh Saturday

Admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:15:24 +0000

The Jatiya Party led by Hussein Muhammad Ershad, a major ally the Awami League, will start a two-day ‘long march’ towards Tipaimukh on Saturday to register its protest against the Indian government’s plan to build a dam on the River Barak.
Ershad, the party chairman, will led the march which will start from in front of his Banani office in the capital at 7:00am.
The marchers will start
the journey in buses and cars and hold wayside gatherings at different places before reaching Sylhet where it will hold a rally at the Madrassah Maidan Saturday afternoon.
After an overnight stay at Sylhet, the caravan will resume the journey on Sunday morning and hold a rally in Zokiganj upazila headquarters in the afternoon, the party sources said.
Prior to the long march, Ershad on Thursday at a press conference at his Banani office alleged that the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh had backed away from his promise to Bangladesh on the Tipaimukh Dam.
Monmohan had committed to build the dam after consulting with Bangladesh and made assurances that the interests of Bangladesh would not be hampered, Ershad said.
‘I believe that Manmohan Singh has failed to keep his promises as India has signed agreements to build the Tipaimukh Dam,’ Ershad said.
The Indian prime minister had assured Bangladesh that India would not do anything that would harm the interests of Bangladesh. Manmohan Singh had also given prime minister Sheikh Hasina similar assurances.
Bangladesh will face serious environmental problems if the dam is built the JP chief said adding that the people would wage a movement against the Indian plan.
He called on the Indian government to drop the plan to build the dam.
JP secretary general ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, presidium member GM Quader and other leaders were present at the press conference.

-With New Age input

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BNP reiterates demand for joint survey at Tipaimukh

Admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:00:55 +0000

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called upon the Indian government not to proceed with Tipaimukh dam project until a joint survey is done. At a press conference held at the party’s headquarters at Naya Paltan on Monday, Alamgir told this referring to Indian response to Khaleda’s November 22 letter to the Indian premier. He also underscored the need for forging public opinion both nationally and internationally against the Indian move of constructing Tipaimukh Dam. He accused the present government for its failure to play due role in the Tipai issue.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia that his country would not take any steps on the Tipaimukh hydroelectric project that would cause harm for Bangladesh.
“The Tipaimukh project would be a hydroelectric project that would help control floods and it would not involve any diversion of water for irrigation. The Indian government would not do anything that will affect Bangladesh,” Alamgir said quoting Singh’s replying.
The Indian premier, however, had given the same assurance to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during his trip to Bangladesh on September 6-7 this year, he said.
Alamgir, however, said if the Indian government implements the Tipaimukh project, the northeastern region of Bangladesh would be affected badly.
“The project is so harmful to the people of Manipur and Mizoram that they are waging movement against the implementation of the dam for 40 years,” he added.
“Bangladesh has its right to get the flow of the Barak river. The people of the country can’t trust in the Indian leaders’ assurances.
Similar assurance had been given while constructing the Farakka barrage,” Alamgir further said.
On the recent visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s advisors Mashiur Rahman and Gowher Rizvi to India, BNP leader said, “They could neither oppose the project nor protest. Rather, they said after returning to Bangladesh that the project would be helpful for Bangladesh.”
Standing committee member Abdul Moeen Khan, former water resources minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, BNP chairperson advisor Shamsuzzaman Dudu and the party’s joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed were also present at the press briefing.

-With The Independent input

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No harm if Tipai project goes ahead

Admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:56:19 +0000

Prime minister’s adviser Gowher Rizvi has rubbished the idea that construction of Tipaimukh dam on the River Barak in the Indian state of Manipur would harm Bangladesh.
‘Notions about the adverse impacts of Tipaimukh dam on Bangladesh are groundless’, Rizvi said on Monday, after meeting the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, on Saturday to discuss apprehensions among certain quarters here about the project.
Many environmentalists fear the dam would adversely impact, and possibly even affects areas in Sylhet. On the other hand, if the dam stops water, Meghna, Surma and Kushiara and other branches of these rivers in Bangladesh will dry up in lean season, according to environmentalists.
But Rizvi said the hydroelectric plant, being constructed at Tipaimukh, could in fact help Bangladesh. He said the project is estimated to generate 1500 megawatt electricity and Bangladesh could also invest in the project.
He also communicated Manmohan’s assurance that the dam would do not have any adverse impact on Bangladesh.
Rizvi said India had also assured help to Bangladeshi experts if they want to examine the project to get rid of their apprehension.
Bangladesh became concerned over possible negative impact of the project after the BBC published a report to that effect on November 18. Dhaka also sent a letter to New Delhi, seeking details of the project.
In response, New Delhi said the proposed Tipaimukh hydroelectric plant would not harm Bangladesh since the dam and the power plant would not stop the normal flow of the River Barak.
Earlier, responding to a communiqué from the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, seeking a joint survey before work starts on the project, Manmohan had reiterated his assurance that the dam would have no adverse impact on Bangladesh.
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, had sent her advisers Mashiur Rahman and Gowher Rizvi to India to discuss the issue with her Indian counterpart amid criticism from the BNP. The two met Manmohan on Saturday.
After entering Bangladesh, the River Barak gets bifurcated as Surma and Kushiara and flow into the Bay of Bengal.
Environmentalists apprehend Sylhet would go under water if the dam in the earthquake-prone area breaks.
Many Indian environmentalists are also opposing the project, fearing it might harm the livelihood of a large segment of population in both Manipur as well as Bangladesh.
Manmohan had earlier declared construction of the dam and the power project at a public gathering in Manipur.

-With New Age input

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Tipai Dam will spell disaster: Rights group

Admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:01:42 +0000

Leaders of International Farakka Committee, a rights group, on Tuesday voiced deep concern at the singing of a deal by India with two companies to construct the proposed Tipaimukh Dam on the River Barak at the upstream of Bangladesh’s River Meghna.
In a joint statement, they said the deal singing by keeping the government and the people of Bangladesh in the dark was against the understanding reached earlier between the two countries at the highest level.
The Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, during his visit to Dhaka in September had assured that India would do nothing on common rivers that might cause harm to Bangladesh. The Indian government had also assured that it would not start the construction of the dam without counselling Bangladesh.
The joint statement was issued by IFC chairman Atiqur Rahman Salu, secretary general Sayed Tipu Sultan, advisers professor Manuruzzaman Miah (former DU VC) and professor Sayed Shafiullah (JU), IFC coordinator Mostafa Kamal Mujumder (editor, New Nation), members of the IFC committee of the experts on the proposed Tipaimukh Dam professor Jasim Uddin Ahmed, SI Khan, professor Asif Nazrul (DU), Monirul Quader Mirza (University of Toronto), Adel Miah (University of Arkansas), Khalequzzaman (University of Vancouver), and Sayed Irfanul Bari (general secretary of IFC Bangladesh).
The IFC leaders said the Meghna was the third largest river of Bangladesh. Obstruction of its flow by the said dam would bring environmental disaster to eastern part of Bangladesh and cause severe damage to lives and livelihood of people. The proposed dam at the upstream of the Meghna is a signal of unprecedented disaster for Bangladesh.
They said the deal to construct the dam had been signed at a time when dams and barrages were being decommissioned in Western countries to restore the ecology of rivers to their original state. If constructed, the Tipaimukh Dam would cause the same kind of havoc to the environment, lives and livelihood of the people living in the vicinity of the River Meghna.
The small rivers of the Meghna basin like those in the Ganges basin will surely die out, the IFC leaders said.
Being deprived of the normal flow of the Ganges, Khulna region has fallen below other regions of the country.

-With UNB/New Age input

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India firm on Tipai Dam amid objections

Admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 06:40:54 +0000

The Indian government is going ahead its proposed 1,500-MW Tipaimukh hydel power project in Manipur despite objections from NGOs in India and opposition parties in neighbouring Bangladesh. Quoting Prem Chand Pankaj, chairman-cum-managing director of the state-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd. (Neepco), IANS said “All apprehensions are baseless. The mega hydel power project would be commissioned despite opposition within the country and outside.” A section of environmentalists and activists in Manipur and Bangladesh fear that rivers in that country could be adversely impacted by the project. Originally conceptualised and awarded to Neepco in 1999, the giant power project was handed over to a consortium comprising National Hydroelectric Power Corp (NHPC) and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) and the Manipur government last year. Pankaj said: “We would soon ask the government to hand back the project again to Neepco for its early commissioning. The delay in execution of the vital power project would create numerous problems.” “Some so called environmentalists and NGOs for the past few years have been campaigning against the project and misleading people,” said Pankaj, who took over as Neepco CMD last month. Setting aside fears, the senior electrical engineer said only 74 families would be rehabilitated elsewhere due to the implementation of the Rs.8,138-crore ($1.7-billion) Tipaimukh project. The project, located on the Barak river under Churachandpur district in western Manipur, is under attack from opposition parties and environmental groups in Bangladesh, which say it could cause desertification in their country. Part of the Brahmaputra river system, the Barak bifurcates into the Surma and Kushiyara rivers on entering Sylhet district in eastern Bangladesh. IANS said Bangladesh’s opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a letter also asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop construction of the project. Incidentally, at the end of the three-day India visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in January last year, a joint communique by the two countries had said: “The prime minister of India reiterated the assurance that India would not take steps on the Tipaimukh project that would adversely impact Bangladesh.” Additionally, a 10-member Bangladeshi parliamentary delegation conducted an aerial survey of the Tipaimukh dam in July 2009 after opposition over the hydel project’s possible ecological impact intensified in Dhaka.

-With UNB/The New Nation input

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