No water in Teesta: Mamata

Amid speculation of a likely deal on Teesta during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this month, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said there is no water in the river.

Banerjee has maintained through the Teesta imbroglio that she will prioritise her state's interest while deciding on the proposed water sharing treaty with the neighbour.

She has also claimed the Centre has not consulted her over the issue.

"What will I do if there is no water? There is no water in the Teesta. Mukutmanipur has dried up... Mahananda has dried up. This is just April. Then May, June are up ahead. By the time the rains start... it will be July. So these three months... there are water woes," Banerjee said here at a rally, articulating the people's concerns over water crises.

She announced a slew of projects for the parched district.

"A project worth Rs 3,000 crore to build embankments in lower Damodar region has been taken up. We have started a new project worth Rs 500 crore to build check dams for irrigation. We will start a new water supply project for 8 more blocks of Bankura by August," she said.

Hasina will pay a three-day state visit to India from April 7, her first visit to the country in seven years.

--IANS

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