Patna (Bihar) [India], August 20 : Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha on Thursday said Bihar's interests were not given adequate consideration when the Farakka Barrage Treaty was signed with Bangladesh in 1996 and said the time had come to reconsider its renewal.
He said the 30-year treaty had affected Bihar's water availability and contributed to flooding in areas along the Ganga.
Speaking to ANI, Jha said, "There are two aspects to this. First, when this 30-year treaty was signed in 1996, I do not believe there was any serious consideration given to Bihar's interests by the government in power at the time... Personally, I feel the entire state's interests were sacrificed in this treaty... Previously, the water flowing into the Ganga used to be stored within the river's channel. Now, with that storage capacity lost, the water causes floods in the surrounding areas instead of remaining within the riverbed. The entire stretch of the Ganga is affected by this issue caused by the Farakka Barrage."
He said the storage capacity of the Ganga had reduced due to the Farakka Barrage, causing water to spread into surrounding areas during floods instead of remaining within the river channel.
"The second aspect concerns the treaty's provisions for the 'lean season '; there is an agreement to release 1,500 cumec of water from the Ganga to Bangladesh. However, when the Ganga enters Bihar at Buxar during the lean season, the flow is only 400 cumec. This implies that 1,100 cumec of water is being drawn from Bihar's internal river systems to meet this obligation. Consequently, when we need water for irrigation or drinking, that water is diverted to Bangladesh under the treaty... I feel the time has come to decide against renewing the lease when it expires in 30 years," he further said.
Further, JD(U) MP said Bihar had suffered for the last 30 years and that the state's water requirements for drinking, agriculture and industry must be considered, keeping in mind its future population.
"Bihar has suffered for 30 years; who will account for that lost share? Just calculate the water that was rightfully Bihar's share, water that was lost due to that treaty with Bangladesh... So, considering Bihar's share and its needs, whether for industry, drinking water, or agriculture, we must look at the water requirements for the current population. We also have to keep in mind where the population will stand by 2050... Regarding the 1996 treaty, Lalu Prasad Yadav was in power with Congress's support... Under the Constitution, international treaties fall within the prerogative of the Central Government, not the State," he said.
Jha said the issue was raised after former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came into the picture and added that he had also raised the matter in Parliament.
He said the Central Government has the power to decide on international treaties, but Bihar can raise its concerns over their impact on the state.
"However, a state can certainly raise objections regarding this... I never heard anything from Bihar regarding this matter. It was only when Nitish Kumar came into the picture that the issue began to be raised... We believe that this treaty should not be renewed; the flow of the Ganga should remain uninterrupted. As for the Farakka Barrage, the Central Government must make the call, but this treaty should not be renewed... If the Central Government engages in diplomatic discussions, it must do so only after addressing Bihar's concerns. I have raised this matter in Parliament, and we will continue to present our case on the appropriate platforms," Jha further said.
India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, with the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty governing dry-season water sharing at the Farakka Barrage. The Teesta water-sharing issue remains unresolved despite several rounds of bilateral talks.
An agreement proposed in 2011 sought to allocate 42.5 per cent of Teesta waters to India and 37.5 per cent to Bangladesh, with the remaining share accounting for other considerations. The proposal, however, did not materialise amid opposition from West Bengal.