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No irrigation project in Tipai downstream

Indian officials assure Bangladesh team

Pallab Bhattacharya, New Delhi
India yesterday assured Bangladesh of not building any irrigation project downstream of the Tipaimukh hydro power structure in Jvlanipur.
Indian ministries of power, external affairs and water resources conveyed the message to the parliamentary delegation from Bangladesh in an hour-long interaction at the South Block of the Secretariat Building in New Delhi.
This addresses a key concern of Bangladesh, whtch-hasbeen worried over a possible irrigationproject downstream of Tipaimukh Dam on the Borak as it could impact the flow of water in the cross-border river.
The Indian officials, including officials from National Hydro Power Corporation, also assured the visiting delegation, headed by Awami League lawmaker Abdur Razzak, of India being ready to extend all cooperation to protect the interests of the two countries regarding theTipaimukh power project.
During the meeting with the Indian officials a video presentation was made on the Tipaimukh project. A number of the 10-member Bangladesh parliamentary delegation raised several questions about the project and the Indian officials answered them, sources said.
The lawmakers sought documents and studies conducted by India; containing information about; various aspects of the-Tipaimukh project. The; Indian officials said iP Bangladesh wanted any document on any specific issue.' they should send a formal; request before this could be-processed.
A few Bangladeshi MPs raised the issue of joint; inspection of the power project to which the officials said they were not authorised to make a call on this and only appropriate authorities could; make such a decision. ;
Former water resources-minister Razzak said the; parliamentary team went to; India to study the project and; take back as much information as possible collected; through discussions with; Indian officials and ministers.
Indian officials said they; were aware of the reservations; of Bangladesh and made it-clear that New Delhi did not' want any bitterness in bilateral relations over the issue.
Yesterday's interaction; with the officials was the; centrepiece of Bangladeshi; parliamentary delegation's; visit to India because it cov-; ered the technical details of the Tipaimykh project, sources said.
Later the delegation called on Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and discussed the issue and the ties between India and Bangladesh.
The delegation would meet Indian Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today before flying to Guwahati on their way toTipaimukh project site.
The delegation is sched-' uled to return to New Delhi from Tipaimukh site in the afternoon of July 31 before proceeding to Ajmer to offer fateha at the Dargah of Sufi Khwaja Moinuiddin Chisti.
The delegation is expected-to return to New Delhi on; August I before wrapping up', the visit and leave for Dhaka on August 2.
The project, which is; expected to generate 1.000; megawatt of electricity, is. important for India because it, will help usher in develop-] ment in Manipur, which faces severe power shortage.