India and Bangladesh yesterday formed a joint committee of experts on sharing the waters of Teesta and agreed on the need to remove bottlenecks in the implementation of the Ganga waters treaty.
'We have formed a committee of experts on sharing of waters of the Teesta river between us,' Bangladesh minister for water resources Abdur Razzak said.
Addressing a joint press conference along with his Indian counterpart Sis Ram Ola after a meeting of the Indo-Bangladesh joint river commission (JRC), Razzak said 'We have reached a consensus on all issues we discussed...in a spirit of goodwill and co-operation, and there is no scope for misgivings'.
A joint communique issued after the two-day long deliberations of the joint river commission, held after a gap of seven years, said a joint committee of experts, headed by secretaries of water resources ministries, would be immediately reactivated to discuss the sharing of waters of Teesta and other common rivers.
India and Bangladesh which share 54 common rivers, earlier this year signed a 30-year agreement on sharing of the Ganga waters.
Both Ola and Razzak expressed happiness over the outcome of the meeting with the visiting Indian minister assuring that he would do everything possible to implement the Ganga waters treaty.
Refuting allegations that Bangladesh received less quantum of water during the last dry season, Ola said, 'Bangladesh is getting more water than stipulated in the treaty'.
'We have set up a scientific study committee to look into any problem in this regard,' Ola said, adding 'We will implement whatever is mentioned in the treaty'.
The joint communique said the two sides appreciated the need to remove bottlenecks in implementing the Ganga waters treaty.
It was decided to undertake scientific studies in this regard in accordance with the terms of references to be jointly finalised by the technical teams of the two countries, the communique said.
Both sides agreed to ensure transparency in implementing the treaty, both at the Farakka and the Hardinge bridges.
Ola and Razzak agreed to further continue discussions on the sharing waters of common rivers in New Delhi and decided to continue mutual cooperation in the field of flood forecasting and warning.
Observers here said the move to implement the Ganga waters treaty has come as a boost for the Awami League government headed by Sheikh Hasina.
The one-year-old Hasina government has been facing severe criticism from the main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which has dubbed the treaty as 'unequal'.
The joint communique hailed Bangladesh's proposal to implement the Ganga barrages project and India's offer of consultancy and technical knowhow for the project.
Razzak said 'India's decision to provide technical assistance through the Water & Power Consultancy Services Ltd (Wapcos) has given the project a boost.'
