Opening of 104 Farakka gates

Dhaka not communicated

India has unilaterally opened 104 gates of the Farakka Barrage without informing the lower riparian Bangladesh, leading to the flooding of vast areas in the north-west and southern regions of the country since last Wednesday. The gates were opened following a meeting between Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. The Bihar chief minister also requested the Indian prime minister to permanently remove the Farakka Barrage as it is regularly causing floods in Bihar. Silt, which forms in the Ganges as it makes its way down from the Himalayas and across the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, accumulates at the barrage and leads to floods in the state, he stated.
“We were not informed about the opening of the Farakka gates. We could have been prepared if the Indian authorities had officially informed us,” an official of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) yesterday told The Independent on condition of anonymity.
He further said there should be some provisions to claim compensation for the damage to crops and properties caused by flooding if an upper riparian country releases water without informing the lower riparian nation(s). Many areas in Bangladesh have been flooded, thanks to India’s sudden decision to open the Farakka gates, the source added. JRC member Jahid Hossain Jahangir, who was contacted by The Independent, did not comment on the issue. “I am sorry; I cannot say anything on the matter. Please talk to the relevant ministry,” he said in reply to a query.
The JRC is supposed to receive information from India regarding the opening of the barrage. According to experts, there is no guarantee clause in the Ganges Water Treaty wit respect to the maximum volume of water that can be released through the Farakka Barrage. “There are obligations about the minimum flow in the treaty, but no regulations on the maximum flow. We would request the Bangladesh and Indian governments to settle the issue,” Prof. Sabbir Mostafa of BUET told The Independent. The Ganges treaty, signed in 1996 for 30 years, should be appended with guarantee clauses, he said. “The water level has been rising since July because of huge rainfall in the upstream areas of the Ganges before it meets the Padma,” Sajjad Hossain, executive engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, told this correspondent. Hossain added, “The water levels were 21.15 m at Pankha, 16.94 m at Rajshahi, and 12.93 m at Harding Bridge stations on August 15. The levels were 22.44 m, 18.46 m, and 14.13 m respectively at those places on yesterday afternoon.”

 

Opening of 104 Farakka gates

Dhaka not communicated

India has unilaterally opened 104 gates of the Farakka Barrage without informing the lower riparian Bangladesh, leading to the flooding of vast areas in the north-west and southern regions of the country since last Wednesday. The gates were opened following a meeting between Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. The Bihar chief minister also requested the Indian prime minister to permanently remove the Farakka Barrage as it is regularly causing floods in Bihar. Silt, which forms in the Ganges as it makes its way down from the Himalayas and across the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, accumulates at the barrage and leads to floods in the state, he stated. We were not informed about the opening of the Farakka gates. We could have been prepared if the Indian authorities had officially informed us, an official of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) yesterday told The Independent on condition of anonymity. He further said there should be some provisions to claim compensation for the damage to crops and properties caused by flooding if an upper riparian country releases water without informing the lower riparian nation(s). Many areas in Bangladesh have been flooded, thanks to Indias sudden decision to open the Farakka gates, the source added. JRC member Jahid Hossain Jahangir, who was contacted by The Independent, did not comment on the issue. I am sorry; I cannot say anything on the matter. Please talk to the relevant ministry, he said in reply to a query. The JRC is supposed to receive information from India regarding the opening of the barrage. According to experts, there is no guarantee clause in the Ganges Water Treaty wit respect to the maximum volume of water that can be released through the Farakka Barrage. There are obligations about the minimum flow in the treaty, but no regulations on the maximum flow. We would request the Bangladesh and Indian governments to settle the issue, Prof. Sabbir Mostafa of BUET told The Independent. The Ganges treaty, signed in 1996 for 30 years, should be appended with guarantee clauses, he said. The water level has been rising since July because of huge rainfall in the upstream areas of the Ganges before it meets the Padma, Sajjad Hossain, executive engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, told this correspondent. Hossain added, The water levels were 21.15 m at Pankha, 16.94 m at Rajshahi, and 12.93 m at Harding Bridge stations on August 15. The levels were 22.44 m, 18.46 m, and 14.13 m respectively at those places on yesterday afternoon.