Workshop on Transnational Policy Dialogue for Improved Water Governance of Brahmaputra River

Anjal Prakash and Poulomi Banerjee

August 21, 2013IWFM, BUET, Dhaka, Bangladesh

GBM basinPrincipal arm of GBM System; Total basin area 651,335 sq kmTotal 58 tributaries (22 in Tibet, 33 in India and 3 in Bangladesh)

China (50%) India (33.6%) Bangladesh (8.1%), Bhutan(7.8%)

Unique drainage system that runs diametrically opposite directions

Highest specific discharge system in the world , highly braided channels, large flood prone areas, bank erosion, channel migration

Seismically unstable zone

part of indo-Burma bio diversity hotspots

Arunachal Pradesh(41.95), Assam (36.3%), Meghalaya(6.1%), Nagaland (5.6%), Sikkim (3.8%) west Bengal (6.3%)

Accounts 30% of the total water resources and 40 % of the hydel power potential of the country

Utilization is much less with <5% in hydropower, 10% in irrigation, 4% groundwater

Arunachal Pradesh (69350 sq km ) is the greenest state of the region; it has been called the State with highest hydropower potential of 50,000 MW

Assam is the worst flood affected state of the country with 15 major floods (1954-2012)

High dependence on agriculture, widespread practice of traditional farming, low usage of modern farm inputs, inadequate agricultural infrastructure, low productivity, low income

Some facts on Bangladesh part of Brahmaputra basin Brahmaputra-Jamuna system constitute of Rajshahi, Dhaka and

shyllet divisions of Bangladesh with total catchment area of 5,83,000 sq km

Enters at Kurigram district (at the border of Kurigram Sadar and Ulipur upazilas)

Brahmaputra-Jamuna is 276 km long, of which Brahmaputra is only 69 km

The Teesta is principal tributary inputs, while Old Brahmaputra and the Dhaleswari are major distributaries

Experiencing large-scale avulsion, widening and westerly migration and rapid bank erosion in response to large floods

Home of over 10 million people Cultivable area under irrigation is about 0.7 million ha Major dams/barrages is Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Local

Government Engineering Development (LGED) are key actors

National Water Management Plan (NWMP,2004), National Water Policy, 1999

Some facts on Bangladesh part of Brahmaputra basin

Major issues and concerns

Unstable physiography

Climate change

Water sharing

Rights , acts and policies Basin

management

Unstable physiographic conditions aggravated by climate change

Rising temperatures, recession of glaciers, intense rainfall triggered by cloud burst impacting the entire eco and human system

Districts of north east India ranked high in agricultural, water and forest vulnerability index

High sesmicity and sedimentation impacting the hydrologic characteristics and morphology of the river

Extreme soil moisture leading to extreme drought condition

Salt water ingression and sea level rise impacting the hydrology of the system

Water sharing and water rights 1977 marked the beginning of official discussion between two

countries

On 12 December 1996, Bangladesh and India signed 30 years Ganges, and no further treaty after that

Contentions in water sharing of teesta, Feni (interim agreement of 2011 on sharing of Teesta water for 15 years) rivers

Large scale hydroelectric projects in India and diversion of water to Ganga erupting tensions at different levels

4 hydro power projects (1297MW) on teesta in India have potential conflict

Water Act and Basin Management Lack of bilateral/multilateral agreements, treaties(none of the

riparian countries signed the UN water convention 1997)

Lack of apathy of the government to understand the fragility of the system, widespread corruption, deteriorating law and order and lack of transparency

Technological biasness (India largely focusing on hydro-power ) and its slow reach of leading to poor adaption

Lack of sharing of scientific information

Modification of river flow due to barrage, sluice gate and water retention structures affecting connectivity and river depth

What is required?

Adequate regional and international cooperation

Technical information needs to be strengthened based on the need of the society, ecology and economy

Sharing hydro-meteriological, physical and environmental data across riparian countries

Instead of un fare race of constructing dams proper assessment and reduction of vulnerabilities, empowering local populace are imperative

Basin management should cater to benefits to the river, benefits from the river, reduced cost and benefits beyond the river

Thank You

Actor and Stakeholders’ mapping for Organisations\institutions that influence the

management of Brahmaputra River

Key actors What is their mandate?

How interested they are in the management? (High, Med, Low)

How much power do they have?(High, Med, Low)

Degree of involvement(Active, Passive, Fence sitter)

Key means to influence them?

Policy MakersExecutorsUsersExperts