Bangladesh embankment: High-level team visit South Tripura, flood protection measures started

A high-level delegation on Sunday visited border town of Belonia, adjoining border villages and conducted an 'on the spot study', and possible effects on the Indian side due to the embankment being constructed by the Bangladesh government along Muhuri river, which divides the two countries.

The official delegation led by Tripura Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary Kiran Gitte after visiting the India-Bangladesh bordering areas met the local villagers and held meetings with the elected representatives, including the Chairman of the Belonia Municipal Council.

Later, Gitte said that to protect the South Tripura district headquarter Belonia, adjoining villages and habitations, embankments being constructed and other measures have been taken up and the ongoing works would be intensified.

During the last year's (in August) catastrophic flood and landslides, many river embankments along the India-Bangladesh border and other infrastructure were damaged and the government has identified 43 such locations in different districts, including South Tripura district, the senior IAS officer said, adding that works to repair these infrastructures either started or to be started soon.

"By June this year, all the repairing and related works would be completed. Work would be done round-the-clock. As the volume of work is very big in South Tripura district, five additional engineers would be posted in the district," he added.

BSF's Tripura Frontier Inspector General Ashwani Kumar Sharma, South Tripura District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, Water Resource, Public Works Department and various other department officials accompanied Gitte during the visit and the meeting.

The Bangladesh government has been constructing another big embankment along southern Tripura, opposite to Belonia town, triggering tension among the Indian residents as the embankment may endanger the south Tripura district town of Belonia and adjoining border villages during monsoon flood.

Besides, the citizens of Belonia Municipal Council areas, villagers of Ballamukh, Ishan Chandranagar and adjoining villages in south Tripura district have expressed their serious concerns about the construction of the giant embankment by Bangladesh.

Local CPI-M MLA Dipankar Sen on Saturday requested the South Tripura District Magistrate and senior officials of Border Security Force (BSF) to take up the matter with the Central government for taking up the issue with the Bangladesh government.

Meanwhile, a similar embankment was also constructed by the Bangladesh government along northern Tripura's Unakoti district and that may also put in danger the district town Kailashahar and border villages during monsoon floods.

Seeking the Central government's intervention, the opposition Congress has organised a series of agitations in Kailashahar.

Senior Congress leader and former Minister Birajit Sinha, who has been spearheading agitations against the controversial embankment along the Unakoti district, had said that the Bangladesh government is unilaterally constructing a big embankment on its land, and the embankment may endanger the district town of Kailashahar and border villages during monsoon floods.

Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha earlier, in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah apprised the embankment issue.

"The Chief Minister in his letter to the Home Minister, highlighted the potential effect of the Bangladeshi embankment in Unakoti district and possible floods on the Indian side. The Chief Minister has urged the Home Minister to take up the matter with the Bangladesh government to take appropriate steps by the neighbouring country," an official said.