India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said no definite timeline can be given as to when the Teesta issue with Bangladesh can be resolved.
"We have to resolve this through discussions and for this an agreement has to be reached between the central government, the state government and Bangladesh. After all, we did reach an agreement on the land border issue, didn't we?" IANS news service quoted the Indian minister as saying during a high-profile press briefing in New Delhi.
The press conference was organised to brief media about the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government’s performance over the past three years.
"I am very hopeful that an agreement can be reached on the Teesta issue but when it will be reached that I cannot tell you," Sushma said.
Addressing a joint press conference after bilateral talks during the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in April this year, Prime Minister Modi had sought to assure of Indian efforts in bring the Teesta agreement to a closure, saying: “I assure you and people of Bangladesh of our continuing efforts on Teesta. It's only my government and your government that can and will find an early solution to Teesta water sharing issue."
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Despite the fact that both India and Bangladesh have moved forward in other sectors such as power, investment and security, the Teesta water issue continues to vex.
Previously, in 2011, an agreement regarding the sharing of Teesta water was drafted and set to be signed during then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka. However, it was withdrawn at the last minute when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee protested the accord.
Mamata's position continues to be that the treaty will render dry the northern part of her state and thereby negatively affect the farmers there. She maintains the view that with the Teesta Barrage, Bangladesh’s largest irrigation project, up and running, the country does not deserve more water.
However, during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India this year, Mamata offered an alternative solution. She suggested that rivers like Torsa, Dharla and Mansai could be tapped.
Sushma said a feasibility study was being done on Mamata's alternative suggestion and the report would soon be shared with the West Bengal chief minister.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
