Source: TOI
Subject: International Relations
Context: Senior officials from the Union Jal Shakti Ministry visited Farakka Barrage as the India–Bangladesh Ganga Water Sharing Treaty (1996) is set to expire in December 2026, ahead of renewal talks.
About India–Bangladesh Ganga Water Sharing Treaty (1996):
What it is?
- A bilateral treaty governing the sharing of Ganga (Ganges) waters at Farakka between India and Bangladesh during the dry season.
Established in:
- 12 December 1996, for a 30-year period (renewable by mutual consent).
River included:
- Ganga/Ganges River, with releases regulated at Farakka Barrage in West Bengal.
Brief history:
- Prolonged disputes since the 1950s over dry-season flows to Bangladesh culminated in interim arrangements (1977, 1982, 1985).
- The 1996 Treaty provided a long-term, formula-based framework, improving bilateral water cooperation.
Key features:
- Ten-day sharing schedule (Jan–May): Allocation based on a formula using historical (1949–1988) average flows.
- Emergency consultations: If flows fall below 50,000 cusecs in any ten-day period, both sides consult immediately.
- Minimum release assurance: India to ensure releases downstream, with safeguards for reasonable uses (≤200 cusecs) between Farakka and Bangladesh.
- Joint Committee mechanism: Equal representation to monitor daily flows at Farakka and Hardinge Bridge, submit annual reports, and resolve issues.
- Review & renewal: Review every five years (or earlier); treaty renewable by consent.
Significance:
- Ensures dry-season flows to Bangladesh and salinity control in the Bhagirathi–Hooghly for Kolkata Port.
- A cornerstone of India–Bangladesh relations, setting principles of equity, fairness, and no harm.
- Supports navigation (NW-1), power plants (Farakka & Sagardighi), irrigation, and flood management.
