TMC to Centre: Consult Bengal govt before renewing India-Bangladesh Farakka Treaty

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee in Parliament on Tuesday urged the Centre to consult the Bengal government before renewing the India-Bangladesh Farakka Treaty of 1996 which is set to expire in 2026.

The treaty governs the sharing of Ganga water between the two nations.

Banerjee highlighted how Teesta flows through four districts of Bengal impacting lakhs of people there and also raised his point that any discussions on Teesta water sharing and the Farakka Treaty should involve the Bengal government, as its people would be directly affected by such agreements. Expressing his concern that reduced water flow in the Teesta could severely impact irrigation and drinking water availability in northern parts of Bengal, Banerjee emphasised that sharing Teesta waters with Bangladesh is unfeasible, as it would adversely affect farmers in those regions.

The government of India is in the process of renewing the Indo-Bangla Farakka treaty 1996 which is to expire in 2026.

He also mentioned that water diversion at the Farakka Barrage has led to navigability issues at Kolkata Port and adversely affected the Sundarbans Delta due to diminished silt deposition.

“Through you sir, I request the Union Government to consult with the Government of West Bengal regarding release of Teesta water to Bangladesh and also about the renewal of the clauses of India-Bangladesh Farakka Treaty,” Banerjee said in Parliament.

During his speech in the Parliament, Banerjee also advocated for the establishment of an Indo-Bhutan River Commission which the Bengal government has been demanding for. He highlighted that flash floods from transboundary rivers originating in Bhutan have had devastating effects on Bengal’s northern districts, necessitating collaborative management of these water resources.

“Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Prime Minister thrice, highlighting that the Farakka Barrage has caused flooding and erosion in West Bengal in a big way. Water flow in River Teesta has gone down over the years and it is estimated that if any water is shared with Bangladesh, lakhs of people in the northern part of our state will be severely impacted due to inadequate availability of irrigation water. Teesta River is also needed for meeting drinking water requirements for the residents in the northern part of Bengal. It is therefore not feasible to share Teesta water with Bangladesh,” he added.