AMN / NEW DELHI
The 38th Meeting of Ministerial level Joint Rivers Commission, JRC, of India and Bangladesh was held in New Delhi yesterday. The two sides finalized the text of MoU on ‘Interim Water Sharing of Kushiyara river’. Both sides also welcomed finalization of the design and location of the water intake point on the Feni River to meet the drinking water needs of Sabroom town in Tripura, as per the October 2019 India -Bangladesh MoU on the subject.
The Indian delegation was led by Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Bangladesh delegation was led by State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque. The meeting assumes significance as it was held after a long gap of 12 years, though the technical interactions under the framework of JRC have continued in the intervening period. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which seven rivers have been identified earlier for developing framework of water sharing agreements on priority.
During the meeting, it was agreed to widen the area of ongoing cooperation by including eight more rivers for data exchange. The matter will be further discussed at the Technical Level Committee of JRC. The Joint Rivers Commission of India and Bangladesh was constituted in the year 1972.