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Tripura asks for survey on Muhurir Char before handover to Bangladesh
Tripura has called for a fresh survey of the Muhurir Char to ascertain the extent of land to be handed over to Bangladesh.
Published : 10 Oct 2015, 07:45 AM
Updated : 10 Oct 2015, 07:51 AM
This transfer will take place in accordance of the 2011 India-Bangladesh protocol for exchange of enclaves between the two countries.
Tripura Revenue Minister Badal Choudhury has written to Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that the tiny northeastern state was keen to hand over the 36 acres of land in Muhurir Char that was initially marked for transfer to Bangladesh’s possession as per the 2011 protocol.
“But the joint survey after the protocol wrongly marked out another 12 to 13 acres for handover to Bangladesh. This portion belongs to Belonia town in south Tripura. Now the protocol has been ratified without correcting this mistake, so we want a fresh survey before the transfer,” Choudhury told the media.
“As per the provision of the protocol 2011 signed on 6-09-2011, the boundary in Muhurir Char upstream area is to be drawn along the mainstream of the existing Muhuri River from boundary pillar no 2159/48-S to 2159/3-S.
“The protocol also provides for raising embankment by the two governments on the respective sides with a view to stabilising the river in its present course," Chowdhury wrote to Swaraj in the letter in August this year.
Chowdhury said the representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the sixth meeting of the Joint Boundary Working Group (JBWG) held on July 23-24 in Dhaka reaffirmed the state's stand to redraw the boundary in Belonia’s Muhuri River in South Tripura district in line with the protocol 2011 to the India Bangladesh Land Boundary agreement (LBA) 1974.
As such, the issue could not be resolved at JBWG level and it was decided to refer this matter to the respective governments for decision," he wrote.
Chowdhury wants the Indian government to provide adequate compensation to landowners whose lands are to be transferred to Bangladesh.
The state government has already asked for 400 million Indian rupees to strengthening the embankment along the Muhuri River with concrete.
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