The Ganges Water Diversion

Book excerpt: This book presents multi-disciplinary analyses of the environmental effects and implications in Bangladesh and India of the Ganges water diversion. The analyses demonstrate that the downstream part of the Ganges River basin in Bangladesh, which has a sensitive ecosystem, has become very vulnerable to water diversion and as a result it has caused significant damage to many economic sectors and ecosystems. Areas upstream of the Farakka Barrage in India have become more vulnerable to floods and riverbank erosion. The Kolkata Port has marginally benefited from the water diversion. In the Hooghly River estuary, populations of flora and fauna have thrived. In the downstream areas of Bangladesh costly adaptation measures have been adopted and in many cases damages are irreparable. A regional cooperative framework is presented to foster water resources and environmental development in the Ganges River basin.