High-level Tripura government team visits border town of Belonia to inspect embankment repair work; locals complain about construction work by Bangladesh
Public Lokpal
April 21, 2025
High-level Tripura government team visits border town of Belonia to inspect embankment repair work; locals complain about construction work by Bangladesh
Agartala: A high-level Tripura government delegation visited the border town of Belonia and nearby villages in South Tripura district to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of a large embankment being constructed by Bangladesh along the Muhuri River, which has raised concerns of potential flooding on the Indian side.
Kiran Gitte, Secretary of the Public Works Department, Government of Tripura, says, "We have scientific data on the flood situation in the Muhuri River over the past several years. The construction of the embankment has started, but there is a pressing need for anti-erosion measures, such as the use of cement blocks and other reinforcements. These are the demands of our people that we understood...".
The floods last year cost 38 lives, affected over 17 lakh people, and resulted in damages worth Rs 15,000 crore.
In January, the state government had expressed concern over the reported construction of an embankment on the River Manu by the Bangladesh Government close to the international border near Devipur under Tripura’s Unakoti district.
As per the 1971 Indira-Mujib pact, any permanent construction within 150 yards on both sides of the zero line is not allowed.
In 2024, false reports regarding the opening of floodgates at the Dumbur hydroelectric power project in Tripura’s Gomati district led to a massive outcry in Bangladesh. However, the Government of India clarified that the floodgates were never opened.
IANS