Tripura residents raise alarm over embankment set up by B'desh along Indo-Bangla border

Agartala, April 19 (IANS) The Bangladesh government has been constructing another big embankment along the Tripura part of the border along India, triggering tension among the Indian residents as the embankment may endanger the south Tripura district town of Belonia and adjoining border villages during monsoon flood.

A high-level delegation led by Tripura PWD Secretary Kiran Gitte would visit border town Belonia and other border villages on Sunday for an 'on the spot study', and possible effects on the Indian side due to the embankment construction by the Bangladesh government along Muhuri river, which divides the two countries.

Besides, the citizens of Belonia Municipal Council areas, villagers of Ballamukh, Ishan Chandranagar and adjoining villages in south Tripura district have expressed their serious concerns regarding the construction of the big embankment by Bangladesh.

Local CPI-M MLA Dipankar Sen requested the South Tripura District Magistrate and senior officials of Border Security Force (BSF) to take up the matter with the Central government for taking up the issue with the Bangladesh government.

Sen said that during his visit, villagers expressed their deep fear that due to the construction of the embankment during monsoon Muhuri river water would submerge district town of Belonia and several other adjoining villages, endangering over 1.50 lakh people.

A senior official of the Water Resource Department of Tripura Government Basudeb Das said that the government is looking into the matter with all seriousness.

"We have communicated the matter to the higher authorities,” Das said, refusing to disclose further details.

Meanwhile, a similar embankment was also constructed by the Bangladesh government along northern Tripura’s Unakoti district and that may also put in danger the district town Kailashahar and border villages during monsoon floods.

Seeking the Central government's intervention, the opposition Congress has organised agitations in Kailashahar.

Senior Congress leader and former Minister Birajit Sinha, who has been spearheading agitations against the controversial embankment along the Unakoti district, had said that the Bangladesh government is unilaterally constructing a big embankment on its land, and the embankment may endanger the district town of Kailashahar and border villages during monsoon floods.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha earlier, in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah apprised the embankment issue.

“The Chief Minister in his letter to the Home Minister, highlighted the potential effect of the Bangladeshi embankment in Unakoti district and possible floods on the Indian side. The Chief Minister has urged the Home Minister to take up the matter with the Bangladesh government to take appropriate steps by the neighbouring country,” an official said.

--IANS

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