‘Bihar’s water needs should be protected in any future treaty’

Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Choudhary Pramod Sarma Patna: As the 30-year India-Bangladesh Ganga Water Sharing Treaty approaches expiry in Dec 2026, Bihar deputy chief minister and water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary tells STOI’s Madan Kumar about the state’s concerns and its expectations from the Union govt.

Excerpts: The JD(U) has been saying Bihar’s interests were “sacrificed” when the India-Bangladesh Ganga Water Sharing Treaty was signed 30 years ago. How were Bihar’s interests ignored? When the treaty was signed in Dec 1996 by the then Union govt, Bihar’s long-term interests were completely overlooked.

The treaty mandated specific water releases downstream at the Farakka Barrage during the lean season. To fulfil this commitment, Bihar has essentially been forced to let its own water resources pass through without being able to utilise them optimally. Our agricultural, industrial and drinking water needs were sacrificed.

The construction and operation of the Farakka Barrage have also caused massive silt accumulation upstream, reducing the water retention capacity of the riverbed in Bihar and turning what should be a perennial life source into a major cause of recurring floods and dry-season scarcity.

What are the specific ecological and structural impacts Bihar has faced due to the Farakka Barrage over the last three decades? The structural impact is visible in heavy siltation. Because the natural flow of the river is disrupted at Farakka, silt builds up all the way back into Bihar, raising the riverbed drastically.

During the monsoons, the Ganga overflows, flooding prime agricultural land in districts like Bhagalpur, Munger, Khagaria and Begusarai. During the lean months, the state faces severe water stress because we cannot store or divert water due to the mandatory flow requirements stipulated by the treaty.

Some water experts have suggested altering the treaty terms. What is the stance of the Bihar govt? Our stance is that Bihar’s internal requirements must be quantified and guaranteed before any treaty renewal or fresh agreement is finalised.

We cannot continue with an arrangement where Bihar bears the brunt of ecological damage and water deprivation. Any future cross-border treaty must ensure that the baseline requirement of Bihar is legally protected. Have these concerns been formally communicated to the Union govt, and what has been the Centre’s response?

Yes, CM Samrat Choudhary and I have raised these points directly with Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman . JD(U) national working president and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Kumar Jha was also part of the delegation when we met the Union ministers in Delhi on Aug 21.

The response was positive. Jaishankar assured us that Bihar’s concerns and water requirements would be considered before the Centre decides on renewing the treaty. So, we are very much hopeful.

We expect tangible safeguards of Bihar’s interests.