Dhaka wants more info

Bangladesh sought more information on seismic activities, sedimentation records and meteorological data from India at the end of the second meeting of Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) in the capital yesterday.
During the two-day meeting, the Bangladesh-India joint sub group on the proposed Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project on the Barak river in India discussed the project's aspects and impacts on Bangladesh and made a few technical suggestions.
Two reports on the project were presented by the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services, and Institute of Water Modelling, two consultant firms engaged by Bangladesh.
“The delegations discussed technical aspects of the reports. India did not have any objection but suggested some minor corrections,” said one Bangladeshi expert present at the meeting, requesting anonymity.
The Indian experts suggested Bangladesh to use the term “hazard management” instead of “dam break analysis” in the reports.
Discussions on the reports' technical aspects, including hydrodynamics, hydrogeology, fisheries, navigation, livelihoods and ecosystems, were held.
The Bangladeshi experts also appreciated the Detailed Project Report and Environmental Impact Assessment Report, two reports on the Tipaimukh location India gave Bangladesh last year.
JRC Member Mir Sazzad Hossain led the Bangladesh side, which includes Mashfee Binte Shams, director general (South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Indian delegation was led by NK Mathur, commissioner (Ganga), Ministry of Water Resources.
JRC's next meeting would be held in India at a convenient time, says a press release.