“According to the international water-related laws and conventions, no country can carry out such activity on common rivers, as there is always the chance of harming the downstream countries,” he said.
The proposed Tipaimukh Dam project taken by the Indian government may trigger a massive earthquake in the region claiming around 30 million people in Bangladesh, fears an expert.
The Tipaimukh Dam site is located in a zone highly vulnerable to tremor. A series of massive earthquakes occurred in the zone in the last 110 years,” Dr SI Khan, former UN water and environmental expert, told a roundtable in the city on Sunday.
He said a 500-foot depth water reservoir will be created due to the construction of Tipaimukh Dam which will pile a pressure of 160 tonnes in per square metre beneath the dam, unleashing a massive earthquake in the region.
“A strong tremor will damage the dam sending its water downstream which will ultimately wash away people in the Meghna basin. There’s also a possibility of more devastating tsunami,” Dr Khan told the roundtable.
International Farakka Committee (IFC), New York, and IFC Bangladesh jointly organised the roundtable titled ‘Tipaimukh Dam: Options for Bangladesh’ at the National Press Club.
Chaired by IFC Bangladesh president and former Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmed, the roundtable was addressed, among others, by language movement veteran Abdul Matin, Dr Zafarullah Khan, secretary general of IFC, New York, Syed, Tipu Sultan, Engr Abdul Quader and New Nation editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder.
Dr SI Khan, in his keynote address, said the Indian government seems set to go ahead with its plan to build the controversial Tipaimukh Dam on the Barak River in Manipur. “But, this is a violation of international law.”
“According to the international water-related laws and conventions, no country can carry out such activity on common rivers, as there is always the chance of harming the downstream countries,” he said.
Dr Khan said as per the World Convention on Dams, if a country wants to build a dam with a height over 15 metres and minimum water reservoir capacity of 3 million cubic metres on a common river, the project must be acceptable not only to the government(s) but also the people of its river basin.
Referring to the article 9 of the Ganges Treaty of 1996 signed by India and Bangladesh, he mentioned that the treaty says ‘Guided by the principles of equity, fairness and no harm to either party, both the governments agree to conclude water Treaties/Agreements with regards to other common rivers.”
Dr Khan, also vice president of the International Farakka Committee, said although the height of the proposed Tipaimukh Dam is 163 metres and its water reservoir capacity would be 1.5 billion cubic metres, India has not shown any willingness to negotiate with downstream Bangladesh.
According to the Helsinki Convention, he said, upstream countries cannot carry out any such activities that might adversely affect the environment and biodiversity of the downstream counties. But, India has taken a controversial move (Tipai project) that will spell environmental disaster for Bangladesh.
Dr Khan suggested forming a regional river commission through mutual understanding with neighbouring countries to meet the water problems in South Asia.
He also said another river commission should be formed for the common Barak-Meghna River basin to resolve the ongoing debate over the Tipaimukd Dam project.
Before implementation the Tipai project, Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmed suggested conducting a joint survey guided by the United Nations to assess the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the dam.
He also urged the government to build a strong unity involving all sections of people to resist the Indian move, keeping in mind the national interest.
The Tipaimukh Dam site is located in a zone highly vulnerable to tremor. A series of massive earthquakes occurred in the zone in the last 110 years,” Dr SI Khan, former UN water and environmental expert, told a roundtable in the city on Sunday.
He said a 500-foot depth water reservoir will be created due to the construction of Tipaimukh Dam which will pile a pressure of 160 tonnes in per square metre beneath the dam, unleashing a massive earthquake in the region.
“A strong tremor will damage the dam sending its water downstream which will ultimately wash away people in the Meghna basin. There’s also a possibility of more devastating tsunami,” Dr Khan told the roundtable.
International Farakka Committee (IFC), New York, and IFC Bangladesh jointly organised the roundtable titled ‘Tipaimukh Dam: Options for Bangladesh’ at the National Press Club.
Chaired by IFC Bangladesh president and former Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmed, the roundtable was addressed, among others, by language movement veteran Abdul Matin, Dr Zafarullah Khan, secretary general of IFC, New York, Syed, Tipu Sultan, Engr Abdul Quader and New Nation editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder.
Dr SI Khan, in his keynote address, said the Indian government seems set to go ahead with its plan to build the controversial Tipaimukh Dam on the Barak River in Manipur. “But, this is a violation of international law.”
“According to the international water-related laws and conventions, no country can carry out such activity on common rivers, as there is always the chance of harming the downstream countries,” he said.
Dr Khan said as per the World Convention on Dams, if a country wants to build a dam with a height over 15 metres and minimum water reservoir capacity of 3 million cubic metres on a common river, the project must be acceptable not only to the government(s) but also the people of its river basin.
Referring to the article 9 of the Ganges Treaty of 1996 signed by India and Bangladesh, he mentioned that the treaty says ‘Guided by the principles of equity, fairness and no harm to either party, both the governments agree to conclude water Treaties/Agreements with regards to other common rivers.”
Dr Khan, also vice president of the International Farakka Committee, said although the height of the proposed Tipaimukh Dam is 163 metres and its water reservoir capacity would be 1.5 billion cubic metres, India has not shown any willingness to negotiate with downstream Bangladesh.
According to the Helsinki Convention, he said, upstream countries cannot carry out any such activities that might adversely affect the environment and biodiversity of the downstream counties. But, India has taken a controversial move (Tipai project) that will spell environmental disaster for Bangladesh.
Dr Khan suggested forming a regional river commission through mutual understanding with neighbouring countries to meet the water problems in South Asia.
He also said another river commission should be formed for the common Barak-Meghna River basin to resolve the ongoing debate over the Tipaimukd Dam project.
Before implementation the Tipai project, Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmed suggested conducting a joint survey guided by the United Nations to assess the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the dam.
He also urged the government to build a strong unity involving all sections of people to resist the Indian move, keeping in mind the national interest.