Thaindian News

Dhaka, Sep 30 (IANS) India and Bangladesh will exchange data on water availability in the Teesta river, an official said.

The two countries were not able to ink an accord on sharing of the Teesta river water during the Sep 6-7 visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Dhaka.

The Daily Star reported that Bangladesh will ask India for 15 years’ data on water availability in the Teesta. New Delhi has asked for similar data.

The Teesta, which begins its journey in Sikkim, flows through north Bengal before entering Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers.

“We were supposed to exchange the hydrological data for a permanent treaty. But Dhaka was keen on signing an interim treaty while we collect and analyse the data,” Sheikh Wahiduzzaman, secretary to the water resources ministry of Bangladesh, was quoted as saying.

The Teesta river water sharing accord could not be signed after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee protested the draft agreement. She even refused to join the delegation accompanying the Indian prime minister to Bangladesh.

The two countries are likely to exchange the data before the next Joint River Commission meeting on the Teesta water-sharing deal.

“We expect them to provide us the data through the technical level committee of the commission,” Wahiduzzaman said.

On Bangladesh’s response to the Indian demand for Teesta’s hydrological data of the past 15 years, the official said: “We are preparing a report with 15 years’ data.”