Explained: The Farakka Barrage Pact Amid 'Fake News' On Bangladesh Floods

Bangladesh is facing devastating floods across the country caused by relentless monsoon rain and overflowing rivers. The death count from the floods has risen to 23, and more than 12.4 lakh families are stranded across 11 districts in the country. 57 lakh people remain isolated and in urgent need of food, clean water, medicine and dry clothes.

In such times, reports in Bangladesh have claimed that the flooding is caused partially due to the opening of the Farakka barrage in West Bengal, prompting a fact-check by the Government of India.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday rejected all reports linking the floods in Bangladesh with the opening of Farakka barrage gates in India, calling such reports "fake".

"We have seen fake videos, rumours and fear-mongering to create misunderstanding. This should be firmly countered with facts," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

He added that relevant data is shared with joint river commission officials concerned in Bangladesh on a "regular and timely basis, and it was done this time as well".

"We have seen media reports of the opening of Farakka barrage gates that will allow the flow of over 11 lakh cusecs of water downstream of the river in its natural course into the Ganga/Padma river," Mr Jaiswal said.

"This is a normal seasonal development that takes place due to increased inflow from heavy rainfall in the Ganga river basin catchment areas upstream," he added.

Explaining in detail, Mr Jaiswal said, "It is to be understood that Farakka is only a barrage and not a dam. Whenever the water level reaches the pond level, whatever inflow comes, that passes. It is merely a structure to divert 40,000 cusecs of water into the Farakka canal that is carefully done using a system of gates on the main Ganga/Padma river, while the balance water flows into the main river to Bangladesh."

What Is The Farakka Barrage

The Farakka Barrage is situated on the Ganga River in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. It is located approximately 18 km from the border with Bangladesh.

The construction of the Farakka Barrage began in 1962 and was completed in 1970 at a cost of nearly USD 1 billion. The barrage officially commenced operations on April 21, 1975.

The purpose of the barrage is to merely divert 40,000 cusecs of water into the Farakka canal and is carefully done using a system of gates on the main Ganga river, while the balance water flows into the main river which then flows to Bangladesh in its natural course.

The Farakka Barrage Agreement, 1977 And The Ganga Water Treaty, 1996

The Ganga river flows from India into Bangladesh, where its primary distributary is known as the Padma river. The river ultimately drains into Bay of Bengal after a confluence with the river Meghna.

The reason for India to establish the Farakka barrage was to flush out the silt of Bhagirathi Hoogly river to ensure smooth operation of Kolkata port. Bangladesh said that Ganga is an international river, so the water from it must be regulated as per a mutual agreement.

The two nations, in 1972, established a Joint River Commission (JRC) to negotiate terms of the water settlement.

Bangaldesh opposed India's suggestions and in 1977, the then President of Bangladesh, Zia-Ur-Rehman, took the Farakka barrage issue to the United Nations General Assembly or UNGA.

The UNGA urged him to resolve the issue at a bilateral level.

In November 1977, then Deputy Prime Minister of India, Babu Jagjivan Ram went on an official visit to Bangladesh and signed an agreement to resolve the Farrakka issue.

In 1996, Bangladesh's Awami League and the new government signed a fresh treaty with India - known as The Ganga Water Treaty, 1996. The agreement was to share the surface waters at the Farakka Barrage near the India-Bangladesh border.

Flood-Prone Bangladesh

An analysis in 2015 by the World Bank Institute estimated that 3.5 million people in Bangladesh, one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries, were at risk of annual river flooding. Scientists attribute the exacerbation of such catastrophic events to climate change.