Tuesday, August 2 2005 18:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Bangladesh has expressed apprehension that the proposed inter-linking of rivers would deprive them of sufficient water in the context of rivers of Himalayan region, the Rajya Sabha was informed today (August 2, 2005).

The Government has assured Bangladesh that the project was only at the conceptual stage, Minister of State for Water Resources, Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, said in a written reply.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government laid emphasis in its National Common Minimum Programme on peninsular component only and therefore the apprehensions of Bangladesh was not relevant at this stage, he said, adding, India has also stated that it would not take any unilateral action which would harm the interests of Bangladesh.

Water Harvesting: The Ministry of Water Resources has requested Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation and State Governments to incorporate provisions to make rooftop rainwater harvesting mandatory for buildings in urban areas by amending building byelaws, the Minister said.

Water Availability: The availability of water for the country as a whole is considered adequate to meet the present level of demand of water for diverse purposes, he said.

However, the Government is aware that owing to the growing population, the per capita availability is reducing year after year, he said.

Erosion: The Government of Tamil Nadu has reported that damage to coastal eco system is being noticed due to coastal erosion along the coast of Tamil Nadu, Yadav said.