Greens protest India's river linking project

Environmentalists yesterday protested India's fresh move to implement the controversial river linking project that will connect 30 major rivers including trans-boundary Brahmaputra and Ganges to divert water to southern Indian states, especially for irrigation.

According to experts, the project, if implemented, will diminish the water flow in Bangladesh's rivers like the Teesta, Jamuna and the Padma and affect the country's environment and economy.

Quoting Indian water Resources Minister Sanwar Lal Jat, several Indian newspapers recently reported that his ministry would soon be taking up the planning of a very important link, Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganges, in consultation with the government of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar.  

At a press conference jointly organised yesterday by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa), Bangladesh Environment Network and People's SAARC Water Forum-Bangladesh at Dhaka Reporters' Unity, speakers also said the project, besides harming Bangladesh, will also affect nine Indian states including West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam.

The speakers urged the public to wage movement to pressurise the government to hold talks with the Indian government in this regard.

At the conference, Bapa Secretary Dr Md Abdul Matin mentioned that the Indian environmentalists are also protesting the project.

River and water expert Engineer M Inamul Haque said India cannot deprive Bangladesh of its water share and with the project India will only destroy the water resources of both the countries.

Prof M Shahidul Islam of the geography and environment department of Dhaka University said if India diverted water, a large amount of saline water would enter Bangladeshi rivers during high tides. Columnist Syed Abul Maksud, Bapa vice-president, also spoke.