Farakka Treaty: JD(U) MP urges Centre not to renew, cites Bihar's needs

JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha urged the Centre not to renew the Farakka Water Treaty with Bangladesh, expiring in 2026. He argued it harms Bihar's water security and called for a new pact based on a scientific assessment of the Ganga basin states' needs.

Janata Dal (United) Working National President and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha raised a crucial and significant issue in the Rajya Sabha regarding long-term water security for Bihar. He noted on Thursday that the term of the historic 'Farakka Water Treaty' signed between India and Bangladesh in 1996 is set to expire on December 12, 2026. He strongly urged the Central Government not to renew this treaty. Instead, he proposed establishing a new arrangement based on a precise, scientific assessment of the water requirements up to the year 2050 of all states dependent on the Ganga basin, including Bihar.

JD(U)'s Long-Standing Opposition

Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House, Sanjay Kumar Jha stated that his party, Janata Dal (United), and its National President, former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, have opposed the Farakka Water Treaty from the very beginning. "The JD(U) believes that the treaty overlooks the broader interests of Bihar," Jha mentioned. During his tenure as the Water Resources Minister in the state government, he had also demanded on various platforms that the Central Government reconsider the Farakka Water Treaty.

Adverse Impact on Bihar's Water Security

Earlier, while presenting his views through a 'Special Mention' in the Rajya Sabha, Jha stated, "Farakka Barrage was originally constructed to maintain adequate water flow for the Kolkata Port and the Hooghly River." "However, the Farakka Water Treaty signed with Bangladesh by the UPA government on December 12, 1996, has had an adverse impact on Bihar's water security. Experience over the last three decades shows that Bihar faces severe water shortages during the lean season. Declining Groundwater Levels and a drinking water crisis in South Bihar," he said.

Declining Groundwater and Drinking Water Crisis

"The availability of adequate Ganga water is essential for agriculture, drinking water, industrial development, and environmental protection in the Ganga basin areas of Bihar. Currently, due to the water crisis, groundwater levels, particularly in the districts of South Bihar, are plummeting rapidly, creating severe problems for both irrigation and drinking water supply," Sanjay Kumar Jha stated.

Future Water Requirements

Citing the Bihar government's projections in the Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Kumar Jha noted that the state would require approximately 2,000 cusecs of additional water to meet future needs by the year 2050; however, the current Farakka Water Treaty provides for significantly less water than this requirement.

A Call for a New Framework

He urged the Central Government to conduct a fresh, scientific assessment of the actual water needs of all states dependent on the Ganga basin, including Bihar and to establish a new framework based on those findings.

Sanjay Kumar Jha also cautioned the Central Government that if the treaty were renewed without ensuring adequate water availability for Bihar's agriculture, drinking water, and development activities. "It would have an adverse impact on the state's long-term development as well as the livelihoods of millions of people," Sanjay Kumar Jha said. (ANI)

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