Staff Reporter :
India has termed the media reports on release of water from Farakka Barrage contributing to floods in Bangladesh as “erroneous” and “misleading”.
“The Ministry of Water Resources of India has clarified that the Gates of Farakka Barrage are operated to smoothly pass the flows of Ganga River. The Farakka barrage gates remain open during the monsoon for smooth passage of flows of Ganga River which is a routine and unavoidable activity,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of India on Thursday.
Even a Bangladesh media report on August 31 quoted Water Resource Minister of Bangladesh saying that “India did not open the gates of Farakka Barrage suddenly, and there is no possibility of fresh floods in the country. All the gates of Farakka Barrage remain open during the monsoon to release water through the Farakka Barrage – it is nothing new,” added an official spokesman in the statement.
Further, in accordance with the standing arrangement between India and Bangladesh flood alerts during the monsoon season are communicated for Farakka and Sahibganj sites by field offices of Central Water Commission (India) to their Bangladesh counterparts, it said.
“Being a routine procedure no special intimation or alert regarding opening of gates is issued. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (Bangladesh) has been quoted in the media stating that the latest water rise was natural and not unusual or abnormal in the month of August,” said the spokesman.
