International

Bhutan not blocking irrigation water to Assam, say officials

Bhutan today termed the media reports of its government blocking the irrigation water to Assamese farmers as ‘baseless’.

“The report of Bhutan stopping supply of channel water to Assam is not true. In fact, the Bhutanese side has categorically denied, saying that they have been doing repairs in channels to ensure smooth flow of water to Assam,” sources quoted Bhutanese officials saying.

After the reports of water being blocked surfaced, the farmers left their fields to protest on road and blockaded Rongia-Bhutan connecting road for several hours, voicing against the Bhutan government’s decision to prohibit farmers from the Indian side to channelise water from the other side for irrigation purposes.

Bhutan’s Foreign Ministry posted on its official page clarifying their stand calling the media reports as “totally baseless and and a distressing allegation.”

“The heavy monsoon rains and sudden rise in the water levels is posing serious challenges, but the Bhutanese authorities, including with heavy machinery, are on standby to clear any blockage and channel the water whenever there is a problem,” the post read.

Clarifications on the recent news articles published in India alleging that Bhutan has stopped the supply of irrigation…

Posted by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan on Thursday, 25 June 2020

Following clarifications from the Bhuatnese Government, the Assam Chief Secy Kumar Sanjay Krishna while talking to India’s news agency ANI said, “Irrigation water comes to Assam from hills of Bhutan, but there was boulder which stopped the flow. We talked to Bhutan & they immediately cleared it. There’s no dispute & to say that they stopped the water to Assam is wrong.”

It is estimated that about 5,000 farmers are dependent on the river.

 

Free Press Kashmir is now on Telegram. Click here to Join

Click to comment
To Top