Tripura PWD reviews embankment on B'desh border; to raise issue at JRC meet

Agartala, Feb 3: The Tripura Public Works Department visited the riverine stretches of Kailashahar under Unakoti district to physically inspect the existing infrastructure for flood mitigation on Sunday.

Secretary Kiran Gitte, in the presence of several local representatives, officials, and BSF higher officials, inspected the area and reviewed the overall situation.

He was also briefed about Bangladesh's move of elevating the height of the embankment on the other side of the fencing, which is very close to the zero line.

During his visit, he spoke to all the officials at length to understand what sorts of measures are needed to be undertaken for routine maintenance of the embankment.

Speaking on the issue, Gitte informed The Assam Tribune that it was a pre-monsoon routine inspection visit.

“We have inspected the infrastructure on our side, which acts as a deterrent factor to flooding in the rainy season. As the season is arriving, we have to be prepared.”

On being asked about the Bangladesh issue, he said, “This is not my prerogative. It is an international matter that will be solved at that level.”

Gitte was escorted by local Panchayat Samiti Vice-chairman and senior Congress leader Md Badruzzaman, District Magistrate DK Chakma, SP Unakoti District Kanta Jangir, and engineers of the flood control wing of his department.

Meanwhile, media reports suggest the Tripura government would take up Bangladesh's move of enhancing the height of the embankments without the consent of the Indian authorities in the Joint River Commission meeting scheduled in the month of March.

The body was constituted in 1972 to maintain cooperation between India and Bangladesh pertaining to the Transboundary Rivers.

Sources in the department said, “Bangladesh didn’t take prior permission before initiating the massive construction, which is very close to the border zero line.

Although Bangladesh had stopped the construction works following the objection raised by the BSF, the attempt is against the spirit of the Joint River Commission.”

The neighbouring country has been rebuilding the embankment on a massive scale at Alinagar in Moulvibazar district, near Tripura's Rangauti area, and some portions of the structure are on the 'zero line,' leading to widespread resentment among the people in Kailashahar, a border subdivision in Unakoti district of the state, he said.

The Bangladesh government has also "not taken the consent of the Indian authorities to rebuild the portions of the embankment that are on the zero line,"

Water Resources department chief engineer Sudhan Debbarma alleged. "The Bangladesh government has undertaken repair work on the embankment at Alinagar as the structure was badly damaged in the last monsoon.

In the course of repairs, they have constructed approximately 200 meters of the 6-km embankment on the zero line as per inputs we have gathered so far. The Bangladesh government did not seek any permission from us, which violates the spirit of Joint Rivers Commission guidelines," the chief engineer said.

He said the repair work was stopped following an objection from the Indian side, and the BSF was asked not to allow any work along the 'zero line' until the matter is resolved amicably.

The 'zero line' falls from the border pillar to 150 yards in the territories of both countries. Normally, construction of any structure is not allowed on the 'zero line,' but it can be done following mutual agreement.