Ainun Nishat: Annual hydrological assessment needed to resolve Teesta issue
The dams on Teesta imposing threat to the biodiversity and the livelihood of thousands of people, says the expert
Annual Hydrological Assessment Courtesy
UNB
Publish : 21 Jan 2022, 08:45 PMUpdate : 17 Feb 2022, 04:44 PM
Bangladesh and India should sit together for an annual hydrological assessment to resolve the water allocation of Teesta river, said Dr. Ainun Nishat, professor emeritus, and advisor of Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research of Brac University.
"The basin of Teesta is confined between India and Bangladesh. It has to be solved by both countries," Dr Nishat said.
He also said that India is withdrawing water from the Teesta unilaterally which is not acceptable ethically and also not acceptable under any international law, even under Indian law.
The 1958 law on transboundary water uses or interstate water uses also do not support this sort of diversion of water, said the expert.
Dr Nishat was speaking as the chair at the three-day-long virtual 7th International Water Conference 2022 titled "Teesta River Basin: Overcoming the Challenges"
The three-day conference organized by ActionAid Bangladesh began on Thursday.
Professor at Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, said the river is no longer a river and people now can literally walk across it in dry season.
"Local people of India also flagging issues that the dams on Teesta imposing threat to the biodiversity and the livelihood of thousands of people including violation of indigenous rights to land," he said in his keynote presentation.
The conference will continue till January 22 under the theme 'Teesta River Basin: Overcoming the Challenges'.
The first day of the conference focused on the thematic issue- History, Morphology and Spatiotemporal Changes of Teesta and Surrounding Rivers.
The purpose of this year's conference is to draw the attention of the international community, and national level policymakers through the collection and discussion of data on the morphology, ethnographic issues and territorial disputes of the Teesta River in order to find a solution to this problem.
The three-day-long conference will serve as a major platform for public-private authorities, NGOs, donor agencies, project implementing agencies, civil society, academics, water experts, environmentalists, and grassroots people to come together and discuss the Teesta river.
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh said ActionAid Bangladesh believes in people's empowerment.
"We focus on water democracy, innovation and creating connections between the scientific body, grassroots, and development practitioners," she said.
Farah said Teesta is a major source of water for agriculture, fishing, and food system. "Water and river governance, regional disputes, climate change and extreme climate crisis are consecutively impacting people's rights. Therefore, it is crucial to protect the river through sustainable and long-term solutions."
Barrister Manzoor Hasan OBE , chair of the Executive Board of ActionAid International Bangladesh Society and executive director, Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University, said: "Water sharing of Teesta River is an important bilateral issue. Water commons means that water is no one's property. The provision of water is fundamental of human rights. It is the basis for all of us to survive in this world."
He also mentioned that this water conference is a timely initiative to draw attention of national and international community and relevant stakeholders to come to an agreement about the allocation of water in Teesta river.
While addressing as a special guest, former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu called for a solution to the water allocation issue.
"Save Teesta movement is going on in North Bengal. Even Indian people also suffering in the monsoon and dry season. Water management should have a deal of political thinking," he added.
Ashok Swain, Professor and Head, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Unesco chair on International Water Cooperation identified the issues of lack of willingness and mindset of top leaders to sit together on Teesta river water allocation issue.
He urged for strong leadership in both India and Bangladesh to come to an agreement to resolve the issue.
ActionAid Bangladesh has been working for a long time to ensure the importance of water resources, fair allocation of water and rights of rivers.
The International Water Conference is being held with the objective of spreading people's awareness about water resources and its management, developing innovative ideas about water, encouraging various types of dialogue, forming alliances to work together on water and encouraging cross-border activities.
Ainun Nishat: Annual hydrological assessment needed to resolve Teesta issue
The dams on Teesta imposing threat to the biodiversity and the livelihood of thousands of people, says the expert
Bangladesh and India should sit together for an annual hydrological assessment to resolve the water allocation of Teesta river, said Dr. Ainun Nishat, professor emeritus, and advisor of Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research of Brac University.
"The basin of Teesta is confined between India and Bangladesh. It has to be solved by both countries," Dr Nishat said.
He also said that India is withdrawing water from the Teesta unilaterally which is not acceptable ethically and also not acceptable under any international law, even under Indian law.
The 1958 law on transboundary water uses or interstate water uses also do not support this sort of diversion of water, said the expert.
Dr Nishat was speaking as the chair at the three-day-long virtual 7th International Water Conference 2022 titled "Teesta River Basin: Overcoming the Challenges"
The three-day conference organized by ActionAid Bangladesh began on Thursday.
Professor at Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, said the river is no longer a river and people now can literally walk across it in dry season.
"Local people of India also flagging issues that the dams on Teesta imposing threat to the biodiversity and the livelihood of thousands of people including violation of indigenous rights to land," he said in his keynote presentation.
The conference will continue till January 22 under the theme 'Teesta River Basin: Overcoming the Challenges'.
The first day of the conference focused on the thematic issue- History, Morphology and Spatiotemporal Changes of Teesta and Surrounding Rivers.
The purpose of this year's conference is to draw the attention of the international community, and national level policymakers through the collection and discussion of data on the morphology, ethnographic issues and territorial disputes of the Teesta River in order to find a solution to this problem.
The three-day-long conference will serve as a major platform for public-private authorities, NGOs, donor agencies, project implementing agencies, civil society, academics, water experts, environmentalists, and grassroots people to come together and discuss the Teesta river.
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh said ActionAid Bangladesh believes in people's empowerment.
"We focus on water democracy, innovation and creating connections between the scientific body, grassroots, and development practitioners," she said.
Farah said Teesta is a major source of water for agriculture, fishing, and food system. "Water and river governance, regional disputes, climate change and extreme climate crisis are consecutively impacting people's rights. Therefore, it is crucial to protect the river through sustainable and long-term solutions."
Barrister Manzoor Hasan OBE , chair of the Executive Board of ActionAid International Bangladesh Society and executive director, Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University, said: "Water sharing of Teesta River is an important bilateral issue. Water commons means that water is no one's property. The provision of water is fundamental of human rights. It is the basis for all of us to survive in this world."
He also mentioned that this water conference is a timely initiative to draw attention of national and international community and relevant stakeholders to come to an agreement about the allocation of water in Teesta river.
While addressing as a special guest, former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu called for a solution to the water allocation issue.
"Save Teesta movement is going on in North Bengal. Even Indian people also suffering in the monsoon and dry season. Water management should have a deal of political thinking," he added.
Ashok Swain, Professor and Head, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Unesco chair on International Water Cooperation identified the issues of lack of willingness and mindset of top leaders to sit together on Teesta river water allocation issue.
He urged for strong leadership in both India and Bangladesh to come to an agreement to resolve the issue.
ActionAid Bangladesh has been working for a long time to ensure the importance of water resources, fair allocation of water and rights of rivers.
The International Water Conference is being held with the objective of spreading people's awareness about water resources and its management, developing innovative ideas about water, encouraging various types of dialogue, forming alliances to work together on water and encouraging cross-border activities.
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