Teesta master plan to be based on opinions of locals: Rizwana

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan says that PowerChina will submit its Teesta River Master Plan to the government by December 2026, stating that the time frame for its preparation has been extended by two years.

They will also submit a preliminary report to the government between October and December this year, she said.

The adviser spoke to the media on the matter after the working session of the Ministry of Forest and Environment and the Ministry of Water Resources at the Deputy Commissioners' Conference on Tuesday.

She said, "Since information is not released to the public, it has created the basis for several misconceptions regarding the master plan. There is no master plan yet, so how will it be implemented? A plan has to be made."

The adviser said, "A Chinese group submitted a plan. It is not feasible, not sustainable. After discussions with them [PowerChina], a decision has been taken to rework that plan."

Bangladesh has been in a dispute with India over its fair share of water from the Teesta -- which flows through both countries -- for many years.

In September 2011, before then Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka, the two sides agreed on a Teesta water-sharing deal at a meeting of the water resources ministers of the two countries.

Although the much-awaited agreement was supposed to be signed during Singh's visit, it was stalled due to opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

After Narendra Modi's BJP came to power in India, there were hopes for the deal’s renewal, but Mamata remained unmoved.

As the deal with India stalled, the government undertook the “Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project”.

Under the project, in addition to building infrastructure for the management of the river's banks, additional infrastructure was to be built to control floods and alleviate water shortages during the summer, according to media reports at the time.

The Chinese company PowerChina was tasked with preparing a plan for the project, one that included all the major rivers of Bangladesh. However, the implementation of the Teesta project with Chinese assistance stalled due to India's objections.

Following the changeover in power in Bangladesh, the situation has changed. A 48-hour programme has been ongoing in five districts of the northern Teesta region since Monday to demand the implementation of the Teesta River Water Sharing Agreement and the Master Plan.

Advisor Rizwana said, "According to the agreement signed in 2016, the master plan was supposed to be submitted long ago. Now the time has been extended by two more years.”

"But we said that the issues that should be included in the plan or left out will have to be decided after listening to the opinions of the people of the Teesta area. The Ministry of Water Resources and the PWD [Public Works Department] will conduct the opinion collection process. PowerChina will be present at each public hearing.”

The advisor said, "When they [PowerChina] revise the master plan, it should reflect public opinion.”

She continued: "We have given them two years to prepare the plan. Then the Planning Commission will approve it, then it will go to the Chinese government. Now I am insisting that a [preliminary] report be submitted between October and December."