India for lifting more water from Feni River

India is going to settle the issue of lifting more water from the Feni River which is likely to be endorsed at the secretary level meeting today (Tuesday) at New Delhi.
"Unfortunately, Teesta is not an agenda here, we (Bangladesh side) may table the issue but not as an agenda," the official said.
The issue of lifting more water from the Feni River will be the prime agenda of the meeting prior to the Prime Minister level meeting between Bangladesh and India on March 27 in Dhaka.
"Senior Secretary of the Water Resources Ministry Kabir Bin Anwar will lead the Bangladesh's side while his Indian counterpart Pankaj Kumar will lead the Indian side," official said.
Indian TV Channel ND TV reported on Monday that Feni water issue was the prime agenda of the meeting.
It said before the meeting between the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Norendra Modi, India wants to settle it to avoid any issues related with the 'Waters flow' of trans-boundary countries.
Earlier, Bangladesh and India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on October 5, 2019
in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when the latter was on a visit to India.
"Through this MoU Bangladesh allowed India to withdraw 1.82 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water from the Feni River," official added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the deal on humanitarian point of view.
The withdrawal of 1.82 cusecs of the water of the river are utilised by Tripura State in supplying drinking water to Sabroom town, which faces an acute crisis of drinking water. However, they want to use it for agriculture purpose, he said.
"Presently they (India) are withdrawing 1.82 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water from the Feni River. They need more from here. They want to strike the final deal on the issue," a senior official of the Water Resources Ministry told the Daily Observer on Monday preferring anonymity.
India and Bangladesh share as many as 54 rivers and there's only one agreement between them - to share the waters of the Ganges River that was signed in December 1996.
According to the Water Resources Ministry, both sides will discuss water-related issues, including resolving issues over sharing waters of Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla, Dudhkumar and other common rivers. But there is no Teesta issue.
India claimed that the 116-km-long Feni River originates in South Tripura district.
According to the Ministry, the Feni River annually has an average of 1,878 cusecs of water flow, which declines to 794 cusecs in the dry season.
Bangladesh and India also agreed to exchange data and prepare the frameworks for interim water-sharing agreements of six more trans-boundary rivers - Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla, and Dudhkumar.
Sharing of Teesta water issue, renewal of Ganges water sharing agreement and all other water sharing issues with India have been pending since March 2010.
However, Bangladesh will place six agendas, while India four at the meeting, Bangladesh's official said.