Ganges water dispute
A long-standing dispute exists between
However, a comprehensive bilateral treaty was signed by Indian Prime Minister
Background
Descending from India's northern plains, the Ganges river forms a boundary of 129 kilometres between India and Bangladesh and flows for 113 km in Bangladesh. At
After entering Bangladesh, the main branch of the Ganges is known as the Padma River until it is joined by the Jamuna River, the largest distributary of the Brahmaputra River, which descends from Assam and Northeast India. Further downstream, the Ganges is fed by the Meghna River, the second-largest distributary of the Brahmaputra, and takes on the Meghna's name as it enters the Meghna estuary. Fanning out into the 350 km wide Ganges Delta, it finally empties into the Bay of Bengal. A total of 54 rivers flow into Bangladesh from India.[5]
Efforts at resolution
Indian Prime Minister
Farakka Barrage
The
However, India withdrew from the process of negotiations by September 1976 as both nations grew apart after the
Temporary agreements
Bilateral relations had improved in 1977 during the governments of the then-Prime Minister Morarji Desai of India and the then-President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh;[4] in 1977 both leaders signed a 5-year treaty on water-sharing, but this expired in 1982 without being renewed.[1][2][3]
Bangladesh attempted to internationalise the affair by lobbying the U.N. General Assembly and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) without any result.[1]
1996 Treaty
The formation of an
As per the 1996 treaty for sharing the Ganges waters at Farakka, the division is as follows:[6]
Availability at Farakka | Share of India | Share of Bangladesh |
---|---|---|
70,000 cusecs or less | 50% | 50% |
70,000 – 75,000 cusecs | Balance of the flow | 35,000 cusecs |
75,000 cusecs or more | 40,000 cusecs | Balance of the flow |
Both nations were able to co-operate in harnessing the water resources; the treaty also permits the construction of barrages and irrigation projects in Kushtia and the Gorai-Madhumati River in Bangladesh, draining the south-western districts and thus preserving the environment, natural and economic resources.[2]
Assessment
The 1996 treaty established a long-term solution and considerably eased strains in
Other critics have also stressed environmental reasons for India to reconsider its drawing of water at Farraka. Alarming increases in deforestation and erosion at the upper levels of the Ganges River increases the deposition of silt at the lower level, which is already measured at 2 million tonnes annually, along with increased salinity, have led to desertification.[7] In Bangladesh, the diversion has raised salinity levels, contaminated fisheries, hindered navigation and posed a threat to water quality and public health.[8] Such silt levels are believed to be adversely affecting the Hooghly River and Kolkata Port.[1]
Future cooperation
The flood waters from Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghana rivers joining the Sea can be harnessed by constructing a coastal reservoir to mitigate climate change effects on both Bangladesh and India and also for achieving water security, food security, and energy security.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Robie I. Samanta Roy (November 1997). "India-Bangladesh Water Dispute". American.edu. Archived from the original on 28 April 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Haq, Enamul (2012). "Ganges Water Sharing". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ a b c d e Saswati Chanda; Alok Kumar Gupta (24 January 2000). "The Ganges Water Sharing Treaty: Genesis & Significance". Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Retrieved 30 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Heitzman, James; Worden, Robert, eds. (1989). "India". Bangladesh: A Country Study. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 188–191.
- ^ a b c d Sudha Ramachandran (8 June 2006). India, Bangladesh fight against the current. Asia Times. Accessed 30 May 2008.
- ^ "Treaty between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on sharing of the Ganga/ Ganges waters at Farakka" (PDF). ssvk. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
- .
- ^ Wolf, Aaron T. (2001). "Water and Human Security" (PDF). Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education. 118: 31.
- S2CID 258753397. Retrieved 5 June 2023.