The Ganga - Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent

The Ganga

Foreword

Contents

Introduction

Acknowledgement

Notations and Abbreviations

Words with Different Spellings

1 The Ganga in Mythologies

The Legend

2 The Real Ganga In India and Bangladesh

Tributaries and Diversions

3 The Ganga Geology

The Ganga Basin

Formation of a Delta

Major Changes Since 16th Century

4 The Ganga's Hydrology

Seasonal Distribution

5 The Ganga Morphology

Bank Erosion and Flood Control

6 Decline of Bhagirathi-Hooghly Channel

Causes and Extent of Deterioration

River Below Offtake

7 Only a Barrage Can Save

Captain Sherwills View

View of W. A. Lee

The Hooghly River Commission

View of H. Leonard

View of L. F. Vernon Harcourt

View of H. G. Reaks

Government Survey

Minimum Upland Discharge

Views of Indian Experts

View of Dr. J. J. Dronkers

Farakka Barrage Project

Effects of the Partition

Construction of the Barrage and the Canal

Problems Faced and Overcome

8 Inconsistency, or A Conspiracy?

Effects of Reduced Discharge

Probable Causes of Reduction

Distribution of Total Flow of the Ganga at Farakka

Reduction of Discharge

Rebuttal

9 Turmoil Over Water Diversion

History of the Conflict

10 Agreements MOUs

Discussion on the Agreement

MOUs of 1982 and 1985

Discussion on MOUs

Political Instability

Effects of the Agreement on India

Effect on Bangladesh

Salinity Intrusion

Irrigation Problems and Fall in Crop Yield

Impact on Aquatic Life

Effect on Navigation

Impact on Forestry

Impact on Industry

Effects on Health and Ecology

Ben Crows Assessment

Augmentation Schemes Ignored

Indias Proposal

Bangladeshs Proposal

Views of Bangladesh on Indias Proposal

Indias Reply

The Two Proposals in prism

Developments after 1982

Developments between 1988 and 1996

Thirty-Year Treaty on Water-Sharing

Other Reactions

Reactions in Bangladesh

After the Treaty (1997 to 2001)

Diversions from Farakka Barrage

11 What Went Wrong?

12 Chronology of Events

Deterioration of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly

Suggestions etc. for Resuscitation of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly

i) Before India's Independence

ii) After India's Independence

iii) Adverse Views

Construction of Farakka Barrage

Negotiations on Sharing and Augmentation of the Ganga Water

i) With Pakistan (1961--1971)

ii) With Bangladesh (1971--1977)

Signing of Agreement, MOUs and Treaty, 19772000

13 The Ganga Basin Management

The First Law

Helsinki Rules

International River Basin Co-operation

International Organisations

River Basin Organizations

Global and Regional Organizations

International Organizations and Treaties

Indus River Treaty

Inter-State River Basin Organization in India

Discussion

14 Necessity of Regional Co-operation

The Ganga

The Brahmaputra

The Meghna

15 My Views

The Ganga Basin

Necessity of the Barrage and its Effects

Interlinking the Ganga and the Brahmaputra

Diversions

Regional Cooperation

Farakka Barrage and Bank Erosion

Bank Erosion

Siltation, Erosion and Flood

Expert Committee Recommendations

Short Term Measures

Long-Term Measures

Measures Adopted

Reasons for Erosion

Measures Adopted and Their Performance

Design Criteria

Flood and Siltation

Conclusion

About the Author

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

Bibliography

Bengali

Newspaper Reports

English

Bengali

Colour Plates

Maps

Index