Amid Mamata Banerjee's claim that the West Bengal state government was not consulted over the Ganga Water Treaty with Bangladesh, sources within the Union Ministry have said that the Chief Minister's claims were false and that the West Bengal government was consulted on the review of the treaty.
Sources quoted by PTI said the joint secretary (works) in the irrigation and waterways department of the West Bengal government conveyed in April the state's total demand for the next 30 years from the stretch downstream of the Farakka Barrage.
This came as Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concerns over the talks on water sharing between India and Bangladesh. "I am writing this letter in the context of the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. It seems that water-sharing issues relating to the Ganges and Teesta rivers may have been discussed during the meeting. Such unilateral deliberations and discussions without consultation and the opinion of the state government is neither acceptable nor desirable," she said in her letter.
However, the sources added that the Centre had, on July 24 last year, sought a nominee of the West Bengal government in the committee for carrying out an "Internal Review of the India-Bangladesh Treaty of 1996 on Sharing of the Ganga/Ganges Waters at Farakka". They said the West Bengal government had, on August 25 last year, conveyed the nomination of the chief engineer (design and research) in the irrigation and waterways directorate to the committee.
Mamata had also chaired a meeting with the chairman of municipalities and municipal corporations in Howrah, where she accused the BJP of renewing the Farakka Treaty without considering the livelihoods of the people of Bengal. Terming the BJP’s 'Bangla Birodhi' (anti-Bengal) mindset, she said the people of Bengal will “not remain silent.”
What's the treaty
India and Bangladesh signed the Ganga Water Treaty or the Farakka Treaty in 1996. The 30-year treaty is due to expire in 2026 but may be extended by mutual agreement.
The treaty between the two nations came after the commissioning of the Farakka barrage in 1975 to divert water from the Ganges to the Hooghly to ensure the navigability of the Calcutta port. However, both countries have had differences over the water share.
The first treaty was signed on November 5, 1977, between then-Prime Minister Morarji Desai and Major-General Ziaur Rahman. The second arrangement was signed on December 12, 1996, between Sheikh Hasina and H.D. Deve Gowda.
With two years left for the treaty to expire in two years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two countries have decided to start talks at the technical level for the renewal of the Ganga River treaty. This coincided with Bangladesh Prine Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India last week.
A technical team will also travel to Bangladesh to review the protection and management of the Teesta River in Bangladesh, Modi said.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that a joint technical committee will initiate discussions for the renewal of the Ganges water-sharing treaty. He said that conservation and management of the Teesta River will also be undertaken in Bangladesh with suitable Indian assistance.