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DHAKA, FEB 2: Bangladesh has sought more data on the upstream flow of the Barak river and its tributaries, where India plans to build a controversial dam at Tipaimukh, in its north- eastern state of Manipur, 200 km from Sylhet. The data was sought at the two-day Bangladesh-India Joint River Commission (JRC)'s sub-group meeting which concluded here on Saturday.
Sources present at the meeting said the Indian side declined to provide some data on the river flow and other technical details on security grounds.
Mir Sajjad Hossain, member of the JRC, led the Bangladesh side, while his Indian counterpart, NK Mathur, led the 10-member Indian delegation. The meeting was held at the state guesthouse, Meghna.
The meeting also discussed the possible impact of the Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Dam on the two neighbouring countries.
"We have sought more data and flow reports in the upstream of the Barak river, which flows into Bangladesh, forming the Surma and the Kushiara. The Indian side has given us some data on the proposed dam, but it was not adequate. We presented an inception report prepared by the consultant at the meeting on the Tipaimukh joint study, Mir Sajjad Hossain told The Independent.
The meeting came up with suggestions which were accepted by both sides, he added. However, the date of the next meeting is yet to be fixed, he said, adding that it would take two more years to complete the joint study on the Tipaimukh dam.
The sources said Bangladesh wanted a guarantee from the Indian side that no infrastructure would be constructed on the upstream of the Barak river before completion of a joint study on the adverse impacts of the project.
Bangladesh has sought detailed information on the Tipaimukh dam. The Indian government has only given a report on the profit and loss from the dam project, a source said. The Bangladesh government wanted to know the rate of water to be released from the Tipaimukh dam per hour every day over a period of one year and the design of the Fulertala Barrage for withdrawing water from here.
However, India did not mention the Fulertala Barrage in their project report. It said all information cannot be given now because of security concerns. But Bangladesh has told India that it should stop all other activities before assessing the damage from the construction of the dam.
A joint statement issued by the JRC said the meeting noted that Bangladesh has engaged the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) for mathematical modelling on all relevant aspects of the proposed dam, including the hydrologic and hydrodynamic, morphology, salinity and probable hazards. The Centre for Environmental and Geographical Information Services (CEGIS) has been assigned the task of assessing the impact on hydrology, morphology, agriculture, fisheries, navigation, livelihood, ecosystem etc. The IWM and the CEGIS presented the Technical Aspects of the Inception Reports.
The meeting held broad discussions on the technical aspects of the inception reports based on the presentations made by the two consultants. The Joint Sub-Group made few technical suggestions. Appreciating the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report handed over earlier to Bangladesh, the Bangladesh side, however, sought additional data and reports, which the Indian side took note of it, the joint statement said.
The meeting was held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. The next meeting of the sub-group will be held in India at mutually convenient dates, it added.
The Indian government has signed a joint investment agreement on the construction of the Tipaimukh dam, along with a hydroelectric project for 1,500 megawatts of electricity, having been signed among the NHPC Ltd (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, Indias premier hydropower company), the Manipur state government and another state enterprise, the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVN) on October 22 in 2011.
The IWM of Bangladesh conducted an assessment survey on the Surma-Kushiara river systems in which it noted that a dam like the one at Tipaimukh will certainly have long and short-term effects on the morphology and the overall environment.
The presence of water resources in the Barak basin, environment, ecology, earthquake, climate change, agriculture, fisheries and socio-economic pattern would get priority while conducting the joint study after receiving the data and information from India, water resources ministry sources said.
The 163-metre high dam, which would be able to preserve 900 crore cubic metres of water, has sparked controversy in both countries over Indias failure to provide public consultations and information sharing with both the lower riparian Bangladesh and the indigenous communities in north-eastern India.
The Indian state-owned utility, the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd., (NEEPCO) originally proposed to build the dam to tame floods. But they altered the plan to generate hydro-electricity from the dam, producing 1,500 MW of power, inviting Bangladesh to participate in the project.
The estimated cost of the project is USD 200 crore and water would be preserved in 22,000 hectares.
On November 21, 2011 the foreign ministry in Dhaka urged New Delhi to share all information on the October Manipur agreement, underscoring Bangladeshs right as a co-riparian country. It also stressed the need for prior consultation before initiating any intervention on common rivers like the Barak.
Dhaka seeks more data on river flow, Delhi says no on
Sources present at the meeting said the Indian side declined to provide some data on the river flow and other technical details on security grounds.
Mir Sajjad Hossain, member of the JRC, led the Bangladesh side, while his Indian counterpart, NK Mathur, led the 10-member Indian delegation. The meeting was held at the state guesthouse, Meghna.
The meeting also discussed the possible impact of the Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Dam on the two neighbouring countries.
"We have sought more data and flow reports in the upstream of the Barak river, which flows into Bangladesh, forming the Surma and the Kushiara. The Indian side has given us some data on the proposed dam, but it was not adequate. We presented an inception report prepared by the consultant at the meeting on the Tipaimukh joint study, Mir Sajjad Hossain told The Independent.
The meeting came up with suggestions which were accepted by both sides, he added. However, the date of the next meeting is yet to be fixed, he said, adding that it would take two more years to complete the joint study on the Tipaimukh dam.
The sources said Bangladesh wanted a guarantee from the Indian side that no infrastructure would be constructed on the upstream of the Barak river before completion of a joint study on the adverse impacts of the project.
Bangladesh has sought detailed information on the Tipaimukh dam. The Indian government has only given a report on the profit and loss from the dam project, a source said. The Bangladesh government wanted to know the rate of water to be released from the Tipaimukh dam per hour every day over a period of one year and the design of the Fulertala Barrage for withdrawing water from here.
However, India did not mention the Fulertala Barrage in their project report. It said all information cannot be given now because of security concerns. But Bangladesh has told India that it should stop all other activities before assessing the damage from the construction of the dam.
A joint statement issued by the JRC said the meeting noted that Bangladesh has engaged the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) for mathematical modelling on all relevant aspects of the proposed dam, including the hydrologic and hydrodynamic, morphology, salinity and probable hazards. The Centre for Environmental and Geographical Information Services (CEGIS) has been assigned the task of assessing the impact on hydrology, morphology, agriculture, fisheries, navigation, livelihood, ecosystem etc. The IWM and the CEGIS presented the Technical Aspects of the Inception Reports.
The meeting held broad discussions on the technical aspects of the inception reports based on the presentations made by the two consultants. The Joint Sub-Group made few technical suggestions. Appreciating the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report handed over earlier to Bangladesh, the Bangladesh side, however, sought additional data and reports, which the Indian side took note of it, the joint statement said.
The meeting was held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. The next meeting of the sub-group will be held in India at mutually convenient dates, it added.
The Indian government has signed a joint investment agreement on the construction of the Tipaimukh dam, along with a hydroelectric project for 1,500 megawatts of electricity, having been signed among the NHPC Ltd (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, Indias premier hydropower company), the Manipur state government and another state enterprise, the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVN) on October 22 in 2011.
The IWM of Bangladesh conducted an assessment survey on the Surma-Kushiara river systems in which it noted that a dam like the one at Tipaimukh will certainly have long and short-term effects on the morphology and the overall environment.
The presence of water resources in the Barak basin, environment, ecology, earthquake, climate change, agriculture, fisheries and socio-economic pattern would get priority while conducting the joint study after receiving the data and information from India, water resources ministry sources said.
The 163-metre high dam, which would be able to preserve 900 crore cubic metres of water, has sparked controversy in both countries over Indias failure to provide public consultations and information sharing with both the lower riparian Bangladesh and the indigenous communities in north-eastern India.
The Indian state-owned utility, the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd., (NEEPCO) originally proposed to build the dam to tame floods. But they altered the plan to generate hydro-electricity from the dam, producing 1,500 MW of power, inviting Bangladesh to participate in the project.
The estimated cost of the project is USD 200 crore and water would be preserved in 22,000 hectares.
On November 21, 2011 the foreign ministry in Dhaka urged New Delhi to share all information on the October Manipur agreement, underscoring Bangladeshs right as a co-riparian country. It also stressed the need for prior consultation before initiating any intervention on common rivers like the Barak.
Dhaka seeks more data on river flow, Delhi says no on
What is Bangladesh's current response on the news of 3 dams on Brahmaputra.
