First regional conference of eastern states on Water Resources

The conference will deliberate on finding a solution to mitigate intra and intra-basin issues relating to water resources in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, official sources said.

Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal will participate in the conference, which will be attended by Water Resources ministers and secretaries of the five states, the sources said.

The chairman of Central Water Commission will also address the conference.

The issue of interlinking of rivers will also come-up for discussion at the conference, the sources said

West Bengal has issues like Ganga-Padma erosion, Ghatal Master Plan with an estimated cost of Rs 1238.95 crore for the first phase, non-availability of Central grant under flood management programme for the ongoing flood management projects.

Issues pertaining to the unified and scientific control of all the reservoirs, erosion on the banks of river Bhagirathi and non-availability of 100 per cent central grant for 19 anti-erosion work executed near the international border with Bangladesh during the 12th Plan period, may also come up for discussion, the sources said.

The four other eastern states also have their own issues, besides inter-state issues of Jharkhand with West Bengal regarding revision of Mayurakshi-Siddheswari-Noonbeel agreement for utilising the water of Mayurakshi river and Siddheswari-Noonbeel river, Barakar-Damodar-Subarnarekha link.