Tripura CM seeks use of Bangladesh river to solve drinking water problem in Agartala

Agartala, Aug 29 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said he has approached the Bangladesh envoy, suggesting that the neighbouring country allow the state to use the Titas river to solve the drinking water problem faced by the people of Agartala.

Saha said he made the proposal during a meeting with Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh Arif Mohammad on Thursday.

"I made a proposal to the assistant high commissioner to allow our state to use water from the Titas river for the people of Agartala city. If you agree, we will take up the matter with Delhi (central government),” the chief minister said.

The Titas river originates from Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh and, after flowing near Narsinghar and Agartala of West Tripura district, it merges with the Meghna river in the neighbouring country.

“If this happens, the people of 51 wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation will get quality drinking water. It will be a historic move,” the chief minister said.

Saha said that during the meeting, the diplomat raised the issue of effluents being discharged into the river from Tripura, leading to skin related diseases in the Bangladeshi people living near it.

"The assistant high commissioner informed me that several people of Akhaura are developing skin diseases (after using the water of Titas). They are demanding that we stop contaminating the water," he said.

Swears from Agartala were discharged into two canals - Kalapania and Katakhal - which are then carried to the Titas river in Bangladesh. Despite setting up a modern sewage system at Akhaura in the Indian side, complete purification is yet to take place.

The chief minister said he has asked the authorities concerned to ensure better filtering at the sewage system so that the quality of water that flows from the northeastern state to Bangladesh improves.

A plan was chalked out to bring water from the Gomati river in Tripura to meet the demand for drinking water in Agartala, but it has not been materialised yet, he said, adding that if Dhaka agrees to the proposal, the state will not need to collect iron-mixed groundwater and purify it for drinking water.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated 48 flats developed by Tripura Urban Development Authority (TUDA) and handed over keys to the owners. PTI PS NN