West Bengal seeks safeguards for interests in renewed Ganges water treaty

Highlights

• State prioritises dry-season flow through Farakka
• Low water levels affect navigation and ports
• River erosion concerns raised in three districts
• Groundwater and arsenic risks also flagged

The West Bengal government has urged India's federal government to ensure the state's interests in water, navigation, ports and industry are protected in any renewed Ganges water-sharing agreement with Bangladesh, a senior state government official told PTI.

Representatives of the West Bengal government raised the issue at a recent meeting of an internal committee of India's Ministry of Jal Shakti and submitted a report outlining the state's requirements for Ganges water, particularly for drinking and industrial purposes, the official said.

"Our primary concern is to ensure that the state's legitimate requirements are adequately protected in any renewed agreement. Adequate downstream flow during the dry season is particularly important for the Bhagirathi-Hooghly system," the official told PTI in Kolkata.

The state has prioritised maintaining adequate water flow through the Farakka Barrage into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system during the dry season, he said.

According to the official, reduced water flow in the Hooghly has affected navigability, while large areas of Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia districts, both upstream and downstream of the Farakka Barrage, face recurring river erosion.

"Lower water flow and the accumulation of silt have implications not only for the river system but also for navigation and the port. These aspects need to be factored in during discussions on the future water-sharing arrangement," he said.

The official also said excessive silt accumulation contributes to recurring floods and affects vessel movement at Kolkata's Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.

The West Bengal government has also raised concerns over declining groundwater levels and the risk of arsenic contamination.

"The Ganges water is increasingly important for the state, including for drinking water after treatment, irrigation and certain industrial requirements. Any future arrangement has to take into account these emerging needs as well as the environmental concerns," the official said.

Ganges water is currently used for irrigation and, after treatment, for drinking, while a portion is also supplied for industrial purposes.

The state government has therefore urged New Delhi to give due consideration to environmental risks, river erosion and the need to maintain adequate downstream flow in any new water-sharing arrangement with Bangladesh, the official added.