The Hindu Business Line : Let the rivers of friendship flow

India and Bangladesh share common river systems and trans-border contacts. The cost of diverting water that otherwise drains wastefully into the Bay of Bengal would mutually benefit the two countries. — Ritu Raj Konwar

THE project for interlinking rivers in India is so closely intertwined with Bangladesh that the time has come for both countries to finalise a long-term and massive development and disaster prevention plan. The costs of diverting large quantities of water into the Indian hinterland for productive use would be an investment for future growth.

The two nations share 2,400 km of border, common river systems, and numerous trans-border cultural/ economic contacts. It is an economic necessity for both countries to sink political differences. As the larger and more powerful nation, India has a greater responsibility to reassure Bangladesh on sustaining cordiality and cooperation over time.

The Ganga and the Brahmaputra discharge huge surpluses into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh, and as tail-end beneficiaries India needs that country's approval to divert water into its hinterland.

Rains in Bangladesh, Bihar and Assam kill thousands every year and the Ganga, Brahmaputra and the Yamuna breach banks regularly, even as other parts of India suffer drought and failure of monsoon. The rivers of Bangladesh mark both its physiography and the life of its people. Most of its 700 rivers flow south. The larger rivers serve as the main source of irrigation and as principal arteries of transportation.

The flooding of the rivers during the monsoon causes enormous hardship and hinders development, but fresh deposits of silt replenish the fertile though overworked soil. Thus, the great river system is, at once, the country's principal resource and its greatest hazard.

Most parts of Bangladesh receive at least 200 cm rainfall every year. About 80 per cent of the rain falls during the monsoon. There are no precautionary measures against cyclones and tidal bores except for advance warnings and the offer of shelter in public buildings.

During the monsoon, the rivers flow at about 1.4 lakh cubic meters per second, but during the dry period this drops to 7,000 cubic meters per second. An estimated 10 per cent of land is beset with salinity in the dry season. An equal area on hillsides is highly eroded. Despite severe resource constraints, the Bangladesh government tries to bring additional areas under irrigation and keep salinity at bay. Increasing groundwater utilisation is lowering the water table in some areas, putting some tubewells out of operation and increasing salt-water intrusion in the coastal areas.

A projection of foodgrain demand-supply shows that even with a modest economic growth of 4 per cent, demand will increase to 30 million tonnes by 2010, with a deficit of over 2 million tonnes per annum. Imports may be a viable option for the future, but the long-term goal must be the attainment of near self-sufficiency. Silting is related to the volume of river flows, as also to inadequate dredging and riverbank erosion.

The build-up of silt poses the heaviest threat to navigability along the 25,000-km riverine route, hampering freight movement.

The 1996 India-Bangladesh treaty on sharing Ganga waters at Farakka removed one of the major obstacles to long-term planning for integrated water management. The treaty not only provide a formula for sharing the Ganga water, but also includes a commitment to settle water-sharing issues for all 54 common rivers. The sharing of the Teesta, on which both India and Bangladesh have constructed two barrages, will be the next dispute to be discussed.

The challenges of assuring a growing Bangladesh both adequate and clean supply of water are diverse and daunting. But they are not insurmountable.

With a comprehensive National Water Management Plan, coupled with effective domestic interventions, Bangladesh can face its future water needs with reasonable confidence. A new perspective and a sense of urgency is advisable. Life and growth are at stake.

Well-equipped ports

Chittagong, Bangladesh's principal port, is plagued with problems ranging from inefficient dock labour to indisciplined forwarders/ agents/shippers. As a result, it costs $600 to move a container through Chittagong compared to $150-300 at neighbouring ports. The forecast for container throughput is: 2005 — 554,000 TEU; 2010 — 737,000 TEU; and 2020 — 780,000 TEU.

Natural gas — future fuel

An IDA-assisted Hydrocarbon Habitat Study and Appraisal Drilling Project and a CIDA-assisted reservoir study show that 20 gas fields boast reserves of 37.08 TCF, of which 25.66 TCF is recoverable.

Production sharing contracts have been signed with four international oil companies for eight blocks. MNCs have shown interest in bidding for the remaining 15 blocks. Since gas exploration and production is largely FDI-driven, foreign investments of $2-5 billion are anticipated. This could have huge indirect economic benefits in textiles, agro-processing and miscellaneous manufacturing.

Hydropower

Bangladesh's total hydropower potential put at 1,500 GWh per annum: Kaptai (1,000 GWh), Matamuhury (300 GWh) and Sangu (200 GWh). The total generating capacity of the five hydro-units at Kaptai is 925 GWh or 230 MW.

The challenge

Bangladesh would need substantial investments, $12-13 billion a year, to achieve its visionary goals. The bulk of these investments has to come from its own public and private savings, and the balance from abroad. India is its biggest neighbour. But, strangely, owing to political differences, a meaningful dialogue on economic cooperation has not been possible.

Diversion of excess river water into the Indian hinterland would, in fact, turn out to be an economic boom for Bangladesh rather than a threat, as perceived at present. In return, India could offer massive long-term aid to help Bangladesh tackle its problems. The objective of the aid should be to make water available in the right place, at the right time and for the right purpose. To help mitigate the over-exploitation of natural gas and other non-renewable energy sources, India could build power and fertiliser plants and other related industries on Bangladeshi soil.

Indian investors would also benefit as the large consuming market in India would pay for the goods and services procured from these plants.

The cost of diverting water that otherwise drains wastefully into the Bay of Bengal would be worth every pie and to the mutual benefit of India and Bangladesh.

(The author is a power consultant and can be contacted at paddy8@gmail.com)

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
The strain is showing

Political realities and double speak

Textile quota is now history

Let the rivers of friendship flow

Patent ordinance and reality check

Neuromarketing

A wave to drown the tsunami

A retribution for warnings ignored?

Reasons to cheer

Right of the rich