Joint border survey in January

Statesman News Service

MALDA, (India)Dec. 23. — Land surveyors of India and Bangladesh would measure the borderline along the river Mahananda in Old Malda area from 26 December, the Malda district magistrate said today. The DM said that the Bangladesh officials had informed their Indian counterparts about the mater after interacting with them yesterday. It may be recalled that the joint survey along the river was actually scheduled for 22 December. The officials who were present on the borderline in Indian part, waiting for the Bangladeshi team, had informed the media that the joint survey would be conducted in the first week of January 2006. Though irrigation official sources said that there might be another joint aerial survey on 15 of January 2006, the Malda DM said on Friday: " I did not get any official letter for this programme till date".

Joint border survey deferred

Statesman News Service

MALDA. Dec. 22. — In order to solve the “misunderstanding” between the two countries on the issue of area operation in the borderline along the river Mahananda, a joint survey of senior Indian and Bangladeshi officials which was scheduled on 22 December has been deferred, officials said today . The BSF and other officials were ready to conduct the survey in Adampur and Muchia border outposts in Malda and they were also waiting for the Bangladeshi officials today on the border line. But suddenly the officials got information that the Bangladesh team would not come today and tentative dates of the joint survey has been set in the first week of January 2006. On the other hand, the district officials through the water resources department got information that a high-level team of both Indian and Bangladesh will be visiting the disputed the area by air on 15 January 2006. It may be recalled that both the country were forced in gun battle on the issue of area operation during anti-erosion work started by Indian officials on the left bank a few months ago . Official sources said that the local irrigation department has finalised a permanent anti-erosion and bank protection project estimating Rs 7 crore , for three km in the two separate parts at disputed areas and in Habibpur block areas along the Mahananda river. The project has been approved by the chief engineers’ committee and now it is awaiting for the approval of the technical committee, irrigation official said. #

Pic. Pralependu Sanyal