PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and his deputy Vijay Kumar Chaudhary will present the state’s concerns over flooding and Ganga water sharing at the 19th meeting of the Ganga Flood Control Commission (GFCC) in New Delhi on October 27. Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil will chair the meeting.
The meeting assumes significance as India and Bangladesh may reach a new agreement on sharing Ganga waters in December. Bihar has been demanding that its interests be considered in discussions on the Farakka Barrage and river water management.
The meeting will discuss a risk-based national master plan for flood control, river water management and the use of artificial intelligence in preparing detailed project reports. A nationwide dashboard for flood monitoring and management will also be considered.
Other agenda items include reviewing previous flood-control measures, framing standard operating procedures and guidelines for flood management, and developing guidelines for waterways and railway and road infrastructure.
The 30-year India-Bangladesh Farakka Treaty will expire on December 12. Former chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) opposes its renewal in its present form, claiming that the Farakka Barrage causes heavy silt accumulation, worsens floods and diverts an unfair share of water from Bihar.
The party has launched a public awareness campaign, “Nitish Samvad”, to oppose renewal of the treaty and protect Bihar’s water interests. Its leaders claim that Bangladesh receives 1,500 cusecs of dry-season water under the 1996 arrangement, while Bihar gets only 400 cusecs.
The party wants the Centre either to refuse renewal or ensure that the state’s water requirements and year-round flow needs, projected up to 2050, are fully protected.
The campaign covers 12 districts along the Ganga: Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Katihar.
Choudhary said the Centre is serious about recurring floods in Bihar and will resolve the problem.
Govt preparing memorandum for Rs 10K crore
The Samrat Chaudhary-led Bihar government is preparing a formal memorandum seeking more than Rs 10,000 crore from the Centre to compensate for recent flood damage to agriculture, public infrastructure and homes. At least 123 people have died, and 52 lakh people have been affected across 13 districts of the state.