Ministerial border visit on 9 June

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 1: Union minister for water resources development, Mr Saifuddin Soz, and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Major (retired) Hafizuddin, will pay an aerial visit to the Indo-Bangla border areas in Malda, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur on 9 June, an irrigation official said here today. Senior officials of both countries will also accompany the two ministers during their visit. The meeting’s purpose, according to the official, is to resolve the territorial dispute between the two countries over some rivers, which have changed their courses creating problems in maintaining the zero line of both the countries.According to BSF sources, officials of the Joint River Commission from both countries also discussed the matter in New Delhi today. State irrigation officials said they would soon finalise the itinerary of both the ministers.The Union water resources department has informed local BSF and irrigation officials about the visit of the ministers of both countries.Sources said the two ministers might visit the river Mahananda that passes through Muchia, Adampur and other border outposts in Malda.The officials will also visit the river Nagar in North Dinajpur and river Atrayee in South Dinajpur. The officials may visit the adjoining areas of Malda and South Dinajpur where the river Punarbha has separated India and Bangladesh and created problems in the area of operation between the two countries.According to officials of the state irrigation and waterways department, JRC officials are trying to resolve the dispute to undertake anti-erosion work to save both the country’s crop lands, homestead lands and also the border outposts by executing bank protection projects permanently.