Pressing need for Teesta accord

MATERIALIZATION of our long standing due in terms of a fair share of Teesta water still remains elusive. Bangladesh Prime Minister during her visit to Myanmar a week ago had raised the Teesta issue with her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the Bimstec Summit. During the Indian PM's visit to Dhaka in 2012 in reciprocation of our Prime Minister's visit to New Delhi a year before hopes were raised for finalizing a deal on Teesta water sharing. However Paschimbanga Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee had put a spanner in the works and the hopes were dashed.
In this context Manmohan Singh perhaps referred to consensus building process being underway in India. Whilst we are conscious of India's federal structure and its need for getting on board the states that may have a say in the matter, what we fail to understand is the procrastination in dealing with an issue of great urgency for Bangladesh.
We are concerned that at Dalia point in Lalmonirhat, the Teesta irrigation project is being severely hampered due to low flow of the river. Ecologists from both countries have expressed concerns as continuous low water flow will affect the bio-diversity of areas adjacent to the river. Need of the hour is to bring the water sharing issue on to the fore and resolve it to strengthen bilateral relations in a concrete manner.
We call for prompt and vigorous diplomatic efforts to quicken the process of reaching the much awaited Teesta accord.