Turmoil Over Water Diversion - The Ganga: Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent - page 143

In the September 1976 meeting between Admiral M. H. Khan of Bangladesh and
Mrs. Indira Gandhi in New Delhi, Bangladesh did not show a good gesture. India
wanted a solution of the problems between the two countries, if there was desire on
the part of Bangladesh, instead of its attempt to include Farakka issue in the UN
agenda, as these were not friendly acts.
A dialogue between the two countries followed in December 1976 at Dhaka in
deference to the consensus statement at the UN in the previous month and in another
discussion in January 1977. In these, the Indian side was led by Jagjivan Ram, the
then Irrigation Minister and Bangladesh by Rear Admiral M. H. Khan, Member of
the President's Advisory Council in charge of the Ministry of Power, Flood Control
and Water Resources, but once again both sides stuck to their old positions, leading
to a failure of talks. The two sides could not agree on the technical aspects of sharing
the Ganga water and the quantum of share that could meet the requirements of both
the countries. India offered a 50:50 sharing, i.e. India could draw 33,000 cusecs
of water from the average dry season flow of 55,000 cusecs and give the remain-
ing 22,000 cusecs, along with a regeneration of 11,000 cusecs, i.e., a total of 33,000
cusecs to Bangladesh. Dhaka dubbed the regeneration as 'highly uncertain' and held
that at most it would not exceed 2,000 cusecs. India's earlier estimate of regenera-
tion near the Hardinge Bridge was 18,000 cusecs. Bangladesh wanted the share to
be as per the short-term agreement during the test-running of the feeder canal in
April 1975. None of the proposals was acceptable to either side and there was an
apprehension in India that Bangladesh would again try to take the issue to the next
UN General Body meeting.
Thus, the political turmoil over the sharing of the Ganga water at Farakka by
the two countries impeded for a while after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman, continued up to February, 1977 in spite of sincerity and eagerness by
India to reach an understanding. It was amazing that Bangladesh wanted India to
stop diverting water into the feeder canal and keep it dry without considering the
technical aspects and consequences that would occur to the unlined canal.