Agreements & MOUs - The Ganga: Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent - page 202

Table 10.9 Variation of discharge in the dry season of 2001 in the Ganga

Anticipated discharge
as per Annexure-II
(cumecs)

Approx. percentage
shortfall/excess
(-)/(+)

Available discharge
variation Year and month

2001 January 3,270-2,490 3,040-2,550 (+)3.04

February 2,470-1,760 2,440-2,240 (-)9.62

March 2,010-1,490 2,110-1,830 (-)11.42

April 1,690-1,490 1,790-1,720 (-)9.40

May 1,610-3,450 1,910-2,320 (+)19.62

As mentioned, year 1997 was one of the driest years and the Ganga's discharge
on 30 th March, that year, came down as low as about 46,000 cusecs. Two 10-daily
periods from 21 st to 31 st March and from 1 st to 10th April bore the brunt of low
discharge, which had to be shared by the two countries. In fact, the shortage con-
tinued for most part of the sharing period of lean season, from 1 st January to 31 st
May. Against the anticipated flow, varying from 74,000 to 65,000 cusecs in March,
the available flow varied from 66,000 to 53,000 cusecs. Similarly, against the antic-
ipated flow, varying from 63,000 and 61,000 cusecs in April, the available flow
varied from 64,000 to 50,000 cusecs.
From 1998 to 2000, the Ganga had sufficient flow at Farakka; no difficulty was
faced in these three years to release water as per the sharing ratio. In those years, the
available flow in March varied from 85,000 to 69,000 cusecs against the anticipated
flow between 74,000 and 65,000 cusecs. These were much higher than anticipated
flow for the entire lean period.
In 2001, scarcity returned, reducing the discharge rapidly from January
onward. The discharge variations in lean-season months of 2001 are shown in
Table 10.9.
The minimum discharge, recorded at Farakka was 1485 cumecs on 15 th April
2001, against the anticipated discharge of 1,773 cumecs. However, the discharge did
not fall below 50,000 cusecs (1,416 cumecs) on any day as in 1997. Nevertheless,
Calcutta Port faced siltation and less of draught in the navigation channel.
The present treaty will be valid until 2026 and its overall effect is anybody's
guess but as morning shows the day, its impact in five years since 1997 when it was
signed, has been from bad to worse. A wide and healthy navigation channel from
Farakka to Haldia and the future of Calcutta Port would be in jeopardy, unless the
flow, available at Farakka, is augmented and India's due share of 40,000 cusecs is
not allowed to pass through the feeder canal into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly in near
future.

Diversions from Farakka Barrage

In 2009, some 32 years have passed since the commissioning of Farakka Barrage
in 1977 and billions of cusecs of the Ganga water have flown through the feeder