Agreements & MOUs - The Ganga: Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent - page 151

Although Part C provided review by the two governments after three years from
the date of effect of the Agreement and further review within six months before its
expiry, as agreed to by two governments, no worthwhile review was done; only a
Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) was signed at the end of the agreement
tenure in 1982.
MOUs of 1982 and 1985
By the time the Agreement was going to expire (after the dry season of 1982),
no unanimous decision on augmentation was arrived at by the Joint Rivers
Commission, necessitating either to extend the validity of the 1977 Agreement, or
to sign another. In October 1982, H. M. Ershad, then President of Bangladesh, vis-
ited New Delhi and discussed the matter with Indira Gandhi, then India's Prime
Minister. They discussed, in the context of actual experience, gained by the two
sides on the working of the 1977 agreement which was due to end on 4 th November
1982. They agreed that satisfactory and durable solution on augmentation of dry
season flow in the Ganga near Farakka had not emerged and that fresh efforts were
necessary to clinch a solution. They also recognized that the basic problem was
inadequate flow of Ganga water at Farakka in lean season for which both countries
had to sacrifice much of their interests. Therefore, it was immediately necessary to
arrive at an equitable formula for sharing Ganga water, available at Farakka through
a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). It was also a prime necessity that both
the countries agreed unanimously for a long-term augmentation of the flow of the
Ganga. Therefore, the two leaders asked their experts to expedite studies of the
economic and technical feasibility of the schemes (to be discussed later), proposed
by either side. It was decided that the Joint Rivers Commission would complete
the pre-feasibility study and find an optimum solution within 18 months of sign-
ing of the MOU. The JRC would examine and accept the decision, after which the
two governments would implement it. A sharing ratio of water available at Farakka
was agreed to by the two governments in this period. Both sides further agreed
that in the case of exceptionally low flows in either of the next two dry seasons,
the two governments would immediately consult each other and find out ways and
means to minimize the burden on either country. A copy of the MOU is enclosed at
Appendix C.
The period of two dry seasons, up to which the MOU of 1982 was valid, was
barren, because no unanimous decision by the JRC on the proposal for augmentation
of the Ganga water at Farakka could be taken.
In 1982, India's political situation changed dramatically. Indira Gandhi returned
to power, heading the Indian National Congress. Two years later, on 24 th October
1984, she was assassinated and her elder son, Rajiv Gandhi took over as the Prime
Minister. Mr. Gandhi and President H. M. Ershad met at Nassau, Bahamas in
October, 1985 and arrived at an understanding, under which the Irrigation Ministers