Hopes brighten on Teesta

Bangladesh hopes to resolve the long-standing issue of Teesta water sharing with India at the next secretary-level meeting on water issues to be started on January 3.
Besides, six other common rivers -- the Dharla, Monu, Muhuri, Dudhkumar, Khowai and Gomti -- and bank protection of different rivers are also expected to be on the agenda.
Dredging of the Isamoti river will also come for discussion, says an official from the water resources ministry.
Secretary for the Ministry of Water Resources Sheikh Wahiduzzaman will lead the Bangladesh delegation, while his Indian counterpart Shri Umesh Narayan Panjiar will lead an eight-member Indian delegation.
Little headway has so far been made in this regard although Bangladesh and India have been discussing these issues for years.
Sources in the water resources ministry say Bangladesh is going to propose equal sharing of the Teesta waters.
The sources add Dhaka would propose equal share of 80 percent of the Teesta waters, preserving the rest 20 percent as its natural flow.
Earlier, New Delhi had insisted on sharing the waters at a ratio of 39 percent and 36 percent for India and Bangladesh respectively.
The Indian side proposed keeping only 10 percent of the Teesta waters for its natural flow and sharing 15 percent in proportion to the command areas in Indian and Bangladesh territories, sources say.
During lean period, Bangladesh requires at least 3,000 cusec of waters per day for irrigation under the Teesta Irrigation Project in northern region, official sources say.
Dhaka also wants to discuss riverbank protection of the bordering Mahananda, Punarbhaba, Korotoa, Feni, Isamoti, Kalindi, Raymangal, Hariabhanga, Ashalong, Atrai, Muhuri, Surma and Kushiara rivers.
Every year Bangladesh loses its land as rivers are slowly eroding inside Bangladesh territory. Bangladesh and India are supposed to demark the border in the middle flow of the bordering rivers, according to the Radcliffe mapping.
Dhaka wants to resolve at least the Teesta water sharing issue before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Delhi early January.
Dhaka sought a date from Delhi to hold ministerial-level Joint River Commission meeting before the premier's visit to arrive at a mandate from the two PM's summit.