Archive · 12 Sep 2026
JD(U) Revives Demand to Dismantle Farakka Barrage
The Farakka Barrage is a large structure built on the Ganga River in India.
It sends some river water toward the Hooghly River to help keep Kolkata Port usable.
India and Bangladesh signed a treaty in 1996 to share Ganga water during the dry season.
That treaty is due to expire in December.
Janata Dal (United) leaders in Bihar say the barrage traps too much silt and worsens floods.
They want the barrage dismantled and do not want the treaty renewed.
Bihar’s chief minister says the state needs Ganga water throughout the year, not only during some months.
Bangladesh has also experienced less water, saltier soil and environmental problems downstream.
The Janata Dal (United) has launched its “Nitish Samvad” campaign across 12 Ganga-side districts in Bihar.
The party opposes renewing the 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty when it expires in December and demands dismantling the Farakka Barrage.
JD(U) leaders say the barrage causes heavy siltation and contributes to devastating floods in Bihar.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said the treaty must protect Bihar’s interests and provide Ganga water throughout the year.
The barrage was built to support Kolkata Port but has been linked to reduced downstream flows, shortages, salinity and ecological stress in southern Bangladesh.
- Who
- The Janata Dal (United), led in this campaign by Sanjay Kumar Jha, along with Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and former chief minister Nitish Kumar.
- What
- The JD(U) is campaigning against renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and demanding that the Farakka Barrage be dismantled.
- When
- The campaign is taking place before the treaty’s expiry in December; the treaty was signed on December 12, 1996, for a 30-year period.
- Where
- Across 12 Bihar districts along the Ganga, with the barrage located in West Bengal and downstream effects reported in Bangladesh.
- Why
- JD(U) and Bihar leaders say the barrage causes siltation, reduces Bihar’s water availability and contributes to flooding, while the barrage was built to divert water toward the Hooghly River and support Kolkata Port.
Bihar and JD(U) Position
Downstream and Treaty Rationale
Renewing the treaty
Bihar and JD(U) Position
The Janata Dal (United) opposes renewal, arguing that the arrangement does not serve Bihar’s interests and contributes to flooding and water shortages.
Downstream and Treaty Rationale
The 1996 treaty created a predictable water-sharing framework between India and Bangladesh after earlier temporary arrangements.
Farakka Barrage
Bihar and JD(U) Position
Nitish Kumar and the JD(U) say the barrage should be dismantled because trapped silt raises the riverbed, reduces storage capacity and worsens seasonal floods in Bihar.
Downstream and Treaty Rationale
The barrage was built to divert water to the Hooghly River to flush silt and keep Kolkata Port navigable.
Water availability and downstream effects
Bihar and JD(U) Position
Bihar leaders say the state receives Ganga water mainly from July to October but needs flow throughout the year.
Downstream and Treaty Rationale
The barrage has reduced downstream flow into Bangladesh, contributing to water shortages, greater soil salinity and ecological stress in southern Bangladesh.
- Treaty
- Ganges Water Sharing Treaty between India and Bangladesh
- Treaty date
- Signed December 12, 1996
- Treaty period
- 30-year framework covering 1996–2026
- Campaign
- “Nitish Samvad,” launched by the Janata Dal (United)
- Campaign districts
- 12 Bihar districts along the Ganga
- Districts covered so far
- Buxar, Bhojpur, Begusarai and Khagaria
- Barrage purpose
- Built in 1975 to divert Ganga water into the Hooghly River and help keep Kolkata Port navigable