The Indian government has communicated to the West Bengal government about ongoing discussions with Bangladesh regarding the Teesta water-sharing agreement and the Farakka Treaty. This revelation emerged after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her objections to unilateral discussions with Bangladesh on the water treaties in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In response to the concerns raised by Banerjee, government sources indicated that the Centre had written to the Bengal government on July 24, 2023, seeking their nominee for a committee tasked with reviewing the 1996 treaty between India and Bangladesh on water sharing at Farakka.
Subsequently, on August 25, the Bengal government nominated the state's Chief Engineer (Design and Research) for the committee. On April 5 this year, the Joint Secretary (Works, Irrigation & Waterways Department) of the Bengal government conveyed their total demand for water from the downstream of Farakka Barrage for the next 30 years.
Mamata Banerjee has consistently opposed the water-sharing pact with Bangladesh, citing concerns about the Farakka barrage's impact on erosion, siltation, and flooding in Bengal. In her letter to PM Modi, she highlighted the adverse effects such agreements could have on the people of West Bengal. She emphasized the critical role of the water diverted at the Farakka Barrage in maintaining the navigability of the Kolkata port and sustaining the livelihoods of the local population.
During a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, discussions centered around the conservation and management of the River Teesta and the renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty.
In accordance with the pact, India is set to construct a reservoir and related infrastructure to manage and conserve Teesta water. The Farakka Agreement between Bangladesh and India on sharing the waters of River Ganga expires in 2026. Under this treaty, India, as the upper riparian state, and Bangladesh, as the lower riparian state, agreed to share water at Farakka, a dam on Bhagirathi river approximately 10 kilometers from the Bangladesh border.
