Farakka Treaty Shouldn't Be Renewed in Bihar's Interest: JD-U's Sanjay Jha

New Delhi: JD-U's working president Sanjay Jha on Friday said the Farakka Treaty with Bangladesh, the 30-year term of which ends in December, should not be renewed, alleging that it has done "great injustice" to Bihar over the last 30 years.

In an interview with PTI Videos, Jha said the treaty, signed in 1996, adversely affected Bihar by contributing to silt accumulation upstream of the Ganga river and requiring 1,500 cusecs of water to be ensured at Farakka during the lean season, when only around 400 cusecs enter Bihar at Buxar.

"The treaty should not be renewed," Jha said, adding that any future arrangement should take into account Bihar's requirements for industry, irrigation, agriculture and drinking water as well as its projected population in 2050.

He alleged that Bihar's interests were "sacrificed" when the treaty was signed and criticised the then political leadership for not raising adequate objections.

"I am not doing any politics on this, but if you look at the old records of that time, some people were raising this issue that this Ganga water treaty with Bangladesh would be very harmful for Bihar," Jha said.

"Look at the data of the last 30 years -- what was lost and what was gained -- and you will see how great an injustice has been done to Bihar," he added.

Jha said a treaty of such importance should not simply continue for 30 years, without an assessment of its impact.

"During the floods, Bihar suffered all the tragedies, and after the floods, the people of Bihar did not have water. Bihar's water was given to Bangladesh. This was the biggest thing about this treaty," he said.

Jha also called for implementing the National Silt Policy, saying desilting is necessary to improve the depth and flow of the Ganga.

"The National Silt Policy should be rolled out and implemented on the ground as soon as possible," he said.

The Farakka Barrage was built in 1975, while the treaty was signed in 1996.

"I feel that this Ganga water treaty with Bangladesh is not in the country's interest. Since its time limit is also ending, if it ends on its own, it should not be renewed," the Janata Dal (United) leader said.

He said the Farakka issue was also raised during a meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, which he attended along with Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Friday.

Jha said the meeting also discussed Bihar's concerns relating to floods and the construction of a high dam in Nepal. The Farakka issue was mentioned, though there was no detailed discussion on it, he added.

Asked about the possibility of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a delegation before December, Jha said the issue was already raised in Parliament and at the meeting and would be taken up on appropriate platforms.

"As far as the prime minister is concerned, we all know that for Modiji, the country's interest is priority number one," he said.

Jha also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's dharna at Delhi's Parliament Street police station over youngsters allegedly suffering pellet injuries in police action.

He said the government has addressed the issue and the Supreme Court has constituted a committee to look into the matter.

"Are they above the Supreme Court? No law or Constitution applies to them?" he asked, saying Gandhi and his supporters should wait for the outcome of the court-monitored process.