Interim govt should start Teesta Master Plan implementation: stakeholders

Local stakeholders at a views-sharing meeting here have demanded to begin implementation of the Teesta Master Plan project with the country’s own funding during the interim government’s tenure.

They said that implementation of the proposed Teesta Master Plan project should be inaugurated during the tenure of this interim government to save the livelihood of the two crore people of the Teesta basin, the lifeline of the north.

They came up with the opinion at the meeting with stakeholders on the proposed Teesta Mega Plan project for integrated management and restoration of the Teesta River at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner on Monday afternoon.

Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rabiul Faisal, representatives of Water Development Board (WDB), Power China, leaders involved in the river protection movement, political leaders, victims of the Teesta floods, and media personnel attended the event.

At the beginning, Power China’s consultant engineer Md Mokbul Hossain presented a documentary on the proposed Teesta Master Plan project. Later, the stakeholders participated in the discussion.

Power China’s Country Manager Han Kun, Rangpur metropolitan BNP convener Shamsuzzaman Samu, district BNP convener Md Saiful Islam, its member-secretary Anisur Rahman Laku, environment activist Faridul Islam, central committee member of the State Reform Movement Kanak Rahman, Rangpur metropolitan convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Imtiaz Ahmed Imti, its district convener Imran Ahmed, Shamsur Rahman Sumon of Begum Rokeya University’s Riverine Club, Sohanur Rahman of Green Voice and local journalists spoke.

They demanded that all the parties affected by the Teesta should be heard. The corporate institutions that are occupying the Teesta should be removed, they said, adding that the Teesta should be freed from encroachment.

At the meeting, Chief Engineer of the Northern Rangpur Zone of the Water Development Board Md Mahbubur Rahman said that in addition to the video recording of the speeches of the participants in the meeting, all the suggestions are being noted.

“All of this will be presented to the Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change, and Water Resources Syeda Rizwana Hasan. Only then a final outline of the implementation of this project will be made,” he said.

Power China’s Country Manager Han Kun said that the Teesta Master Plan project will not have any impact on the geopolitical context because it is a commercial project, it will benefit people and will not be harmful to the environment.

“We have come to implement the project on the Teesta River at a time when the people here have lost their land and property. That is why we have come to listen to the people here,” he said.