India News | High Level Team Visits Border to See Embankment Construction Work by Bangladesh

Agartala, Jan 17 (PTI) Following reports that Bangladesh has been constructing a massive embankment opposite to Kailashahar sub-division of Tripura's Unakoti district, a high-level team led by District Magistrate (DM) D K Chakma on Friday visited the Indo-Bangla border.

The visit came 48 hours after Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha assured the state Assembly that he would take up the issue with the Centre after Congress MLA Birajit Sinha had drawn the attention of the CM on the matter.

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The DM told reporters that following reports that "Bangladesh has been constructing a massive embankment with some portions of it on the 'zero line', we have come here to see the ground reality."

"It appears construction of a massive embankment was underway by Bangladesh and they have already raised the height of the embankment substantially to control flood water. This will create problems in passing floodwater to downstream area (Bangladesh). Some portions of the structure has been constructed on the 'zero line' of the international border," he said.

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The zero line falls from border pillar to 150 yard of both countries. Normally construction of any structure is not allowed on the zero line but it can be done following mutual agreement.

"We have taken photographs of the construction site on the other side of the border," the DM said.

He said that the matter will be taken up with the appropriate authorities.

The DM said he will take up the matter of strengthening the existing embankment at Rangauti (Indian side) with the state government.

The Tripura chief minister on Wednesday had assured the state assembly that he would take up with the Centre the issue of the Bangladesh government's move to build a massive embankment on its land, opposite to Kailashahar sub-division in the state's Unakoti district.

The assurance came after Congress legislator Birajit Sinha drew Saha's attention on the matter.

"The Bangladesh government has been constructing a massive embankment opposite Kailashahar. We had a 40-year-old embankment at Rangaoti. If our embankment is not strengthened on an urgent basis, people will suffer in case of flood," Sinha said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)