India open to talks on Indo-Nepal treaty

This was stated by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.     

In reply to a question from reporters here, he said the question of participating in a dialogue, however, would arise only if an initiative was taken by the Nepalese side.     
Mukherjee, who inaugrated a ground water reservoir here, said most countries were placing importance on potable drinking water, the sources of which were limited.      The union government had given adequate stress to potable drinking water in the 11th Five year plan, he said.     

The Centre, he said, was concerned over presence of arsenic in water in some parts of West Bengal and was doing everything possible to help the state government.     
Mukherjee, also a senior Congress leader, termed the violence in panchayat elections in West Bengal as "unfortunate".