The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday clarified that concerns about the current flood situation in Bangladesh’s bordering districts being caused by the opening of India’s Dumbur dam in Tripura are “factually incorrect.”
“We have seen concerns being expressed in Bangladesh that the current situation of flood in districts on the eastern borders of Bangladesh has been caused by opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura. This is factually not correct,” the MEA stated.
The ministry explained that the catchment areas of the Gumti River, which flows through both India and Bangladesh, have recently experienced some of the heaviest rains of the year. The flooding in Bangladesh is “primarily due to waters from these large catchments downstream of the dam.”
“Floods on the common rivers between India and Bangladesh are a shared problem inflicting sufferings to people on both sides, and requires close mutual cooperation towards resolving them,” the MEA added.
The ministry further said, “As two countries sharing 54 common cross-border rivers, river water cooperation is an important part of our bilateral engagement. We remain committed to resolving issues and mutual concerns in water resources and river water management through bilateral consultations and technical discussions.”
The statement from the MEA comes in response to reports from various media outlets alleging that the opening of the Dumbur hydroelectric project’s gates has led to flooding in Bangladesh.
According to Bangladesh-based Dhaka Times report, the opening of the gates at the Dumbur project in Tripura has resulted in floodwaters inundating the bordering districts of Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Feni.
Officials in Bangladesh reportedly confirmed to the publication that New Delhi did not notify Dhaka about actions taken in Tripura that significantly impacted communities across the border.
In response to claims about the dam’s operations, Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath stated that no gates were opened at the Dumbur dam, which is part of the Gumti hydroelectric power project in Gomati district. He explained that the dam’s reservoir, with a holding capacity of 94 meters, automatically releases excess water once this level is exceeded.
“No gate has been opened for Gomti Hydro Electric Project. The storage capacity of the reservoir is up to 94 meters. Once the water crosses this level, it will automatically exit through the gate. Again, when the water level of the reservoir falls below 94 meters, the gate will automatically close,” Nath said in a post on X.
Comments
0 comment