Manmohan assures Mamata on Teesta

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday night called up West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and assured her that nothing would be done on the Teesta river water sharing issue with Bangladesh that would harm the interests of the State.

The interests of West Bengal would be kept in mind and consultations with her would continue on the issue, Dr. Singh told Ms. Banerjee, a close aide of the Trinamool chief said.

Ms. Banerjee has opted out of the Prime Minister's two-day visit to Bangladesh starting on Tuesday upset over the final draft of the Teesta river water sharing pact which is believed to have earmarked more water for Bangladesh than stipulated in the earlier draft.