NEW DELHI: With India looking at different issues before taking a call on renewing its treaty with Bangladesh over sharing of Ganga river waters at Farakka Barrage, Centre has assured Bihar that any decision will be made keeping in mind the state’s water requirements for drinking and industrial use.The assurance came from Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar in response to concerns first raised by former chief minister Nitish Kumar during his tenure and recently by his JDU colleague and party national working president Sanjay Jha.
Share your thoughts in the comments
Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
RS MP Jha had raised the issue in the Upper House on Aug 6, seeking protection of Bihar’s water interests in any renewal of the 30-year-old treaty, signed in 1996 and set to expire in Dec. He has opposed the renewal of the Farakka Treaty, alleging it has done “great injustice” to Bihar over the past three decades.In a letter to Jha, Jaishankar said govt “fully” understands the state’s concerns regarding the treaty and will make a decision keeping the relevant considerations in mind. He said that inter-ministerial discussions led by jal shakti ministry had been held with stakeholders to comprehensively discuss the implementation and future of the treaty.
