The Ganga, especially, is the river of India,

beloved of her people, round which are

intertwined her memories, her hopes and
fears, her songs of triumph, her victories
and her defeats. She has been a symbol of
Indias age-long culture and civilization,
ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever
the same Ganga.
-Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India

Ganges-Brahmaputra-Barak Basin
Has multiple-use
potential for its
abundant water
resources.

Irrigation
Power Generation
Industrial development
Fisheries
Navigation

Least developed
region in the world.

The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Barak Basin

The basin is shared
by Bangladesh
(7%), Bhutan,
China, India
(80%), and Nepal.
Positions of each
country in relation
to each other

Dams on the Ganga

Dam diverting Himalayan snowmelt to Upper Ganges Canal.
Farakka Barrage diverts water from Ganges into the
Bhagirathi River
Caused dispute between Bangladesh and India
Ganges Water Treaty of 1996

Availability at Farakka

Share of India

Share of Bangladesh

70,000 cucecs or less

50%

50%

70,000-75,000 cusecs

Balance of flow

35,000 cucecs

75,000 cusecs or more

40,000 cusecs

Balance of flow

*Subject to the condition that India and Bangladesh each shall receive guaranteed 35,000 cusecs
of water in alternate three 10-day periods during the period March 1 to May 10.

Pollution in the Basin

Leather industry
One billion liters of
raw sewage a day
Inadequate cremation
techniques.
The Ganga Action
Plan India attempts
to clean up?

Hindu myth in the Basin

Bathing in water will
cleanse sins and is
life-long mission.
Waters cleanse any
place or object.
Ashes of dead in the
river will carry souls
to paradise.

 Nowhere is the problem of cooperation

between riparian neighbors as critical as in
the Ganges-Brahnaputra basin in South Asia.
Nowhere are the benefits from cooperation
as spectacular for the futures of the countries
involved, and nowhere is the penalty for
non-cooperation as devastating
Former Secretary of India

Questions for Discussion

1. Why have the riparian states sharing the basin not taken advantage of the
vast economical potential of their water resources?
2. What effect may the Hindu religious beliefs regarding the Ganga have on
future water agreements?
3. What effect will Chinas lack of participation in basin hydropolitics have
on any decision made by India, Bangledesh, Bhutan, and Nepal?
4. Are the current bilateral agreements between India and the other riparian
states effective?
5. Is the Ganges Water Treaty between Bangledesh and India a good
solution to the water allocation issues between the two states? What effects
could harsh weather conditions have on the agreement?
6. Should an agreement such as the Ganges Water Treaty include
agreements regarding pollution, additional water projects, and
environmental issues? Or should one issue be tackled at a time?
7. What affect may third party involvement have on the basin hydropolitics?