West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him not to finalize key bilateral decisions with Bangladesh, particularly concerning water sharing of the Teesta River and the India-Bangladesh Farakka treaties, without consulting the state government.
In the letter, Banerjee referenced Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent visit and her discussions with PM Modi. “It seems that water-sharing issues relating to Ganges and Teesta Rivers were discussed during the meeting. Such unilateral deliberations and discussions without consultations or opinions of the state government are neither acceptable nor desirable,” the letter read.
Banerjee pointed out that the Indian government is in the process of renewing the Indo-Bangladesh Farakka Treaty of 1996, which expires in 2026, emphasizing its implications for West Bengal's people.
“It is a treaty which delineates the principles of sharing water between Bangladesh and India and as you are aware, it has huge implications for the people of West Bengal for maintaining their livelihood as the water which is diverted at the Farakka Barrage helps maintain the navigability of the Kolkata Port,” The Chief Minister said in the letter.
Regarding the proposed Teesta water-sharing agreement, Banerjee argued that any cooperation with Bangladesh to restore the Teesta River would significantly impact North Bengal's residents, especially since the river's health has suffered from hydroelectric projects in Sikkim. She expressed surprise at the lack of concrete steps by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to restore the river on the Indian side and stressed the importance of Teesta water for drinking purposes in North Bengal.
“I am surprised that no concrete steps have been taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to restore the river in its original form on the Indian side. In addition, Teesta water is also needed to meet the drinking water requirements of the residents of North Bengal. It is therefore not feasible to share Teesta water with Bangladesh,” the letter read.
“Finally, it is to convey my strong reservations that no discussion on sharing Teesta water and the Farakka treaty should be taken up with Bangladesh without the involvement of the state government. The interest of the people of West Bengal is paramount, which should not be compromised at any cost,” the letter concluded.
Read also | People want substance, not slogans: PM Modi's Call for Parliamentary Diligence
Read also | Vasundhara Raje Reflects on Changing Notions of Loyalty in Politics
