This Article is From Sep 05, 2011

Mamata Banerjee opts out of Bangladesh trip with PM

Mamata Banerjee opts out of Bangladesh trip with PM
New Delhi: A sulking Mamata Banerjee has cancelled her trip to Bangladesh, one she was to make with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 6-7.

The trip, which was to include five chief ministers, is meant to see several pacts being signed including one on sharing the Teesta waters which have been controversial for long.

Sources say, the West Bengal Chief Minister is unhappy over equal water-sharing of the Teesta river. Ms Banerjee, according to sources, thinks the pact is unfair to her state and that Bangladesh should get 25 per cent water.

Sources say that the final draft agreement has not put any cap over the 25 per cent sharing limit.

This essentially means that during the lean seasons when there is no rainfall, more than 25 per cent of water has to be released to ensure that Bangladesh gets its 50 per cent share of river water. The matter was fiercely debated at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) held last Friday.

National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon was in Kolkata this past week to allay Mamta Banerjee's concerns, but that has clearly not worked.




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