West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee told the Indian provincial assembly on Monday that it was ‘impossible’ to share Teesta water with Bangladesh.
The needs of West Bengal people have to be met before those of the neighbouring country, she said, Times of India reported Tuesday.
‘The demand to not share Teesta water is for the benefit of Bengal’s people. Their needs will have to be met first. It is not that I am ignoring Bangladesh,’ the Indian daily quoted Mamata to have told the assembly.
She said that she would not allow a unilateral decision on Teesta water-sharing or renewal of the 30-year Ganges water-sharing treaty signed in 1996, which would expire in 2026.
Mamata said that she had good relations with Bangladesh and she had given what she could. ‘But I will not promise what I cannot give. I am accountable to the people of Bengal, I cannot act selfishly,’ said Mamata, who wrote to the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, explaining her stand in June.
 ‘Where is the water in Teesta in lean season? North Bengal will suffer from water shortage if we give Teesta water to Bangladesh,’ Mamata said, blaming the Centre for conducting water-sharing discussions with Bangladesh without involving Bengal, which she said disrespected the country’s federal character.
Mamata also recalled former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu’s involvement in river-treaty discussions.
‘We have strong linguistic and cultural bonds (with Bangladesh). But, as Bengal CM, how can I deprive the people of this state, she asked as reported by the daily.
 After the finalisation of the draft of the Teesta deal by the two sides, India backtracked on signing the treaty just hours before the arrival of then Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh in Dhaka on September 6, 2011 on the plea that West Bengal chief minister objected to the agreement.
According to the framework of an interim agreement finalised in 2010, the two sides agreed to share Teesta water on a fair and equitable basis with the 50:50 water-sharing ratio keeping 20 per cent of the water as environmental flow during the lean season.
