The next India-Bangladesh Ganges treaty must also protect the river
The forthcoming India-Bangladesh Ganges Water Treaty renewal must encompass river health protection, not just water allocation. This comes amid heightened political tension and environmental strain across South Asia's Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin, a region increasingly vulnerable to climate change. As climate change intensifies, demand for water rises, and ecological stress surges, the treaty's focus on water distribution could overshadow the need for safeguarding river ecosystems.
South Asia, among the most climate change-vulnerable regions, faces rapid population growth, poverty, water scarcity, weak governance, and escalating tensions over transboundary rivers. The Ganges system, sustaining civilizations for centuries, now confronts altered flow regimes, rising salinity, and declining aquatic ecosystems.
Reduced river flow due to climate pressures and upstream water diversion threatens livelihoods, fisheries, flooding, and salinity, particularly in eastern India and Bangladesh. Pollution from industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff further degrades river systems, while declining seasonal flooding diminishes nutrient exchange, habitat availability, and biodiversity.
The Farakka Barrage, impeding migratory fish like Hilsa, exemplifies the ecological impact of river alterations. Safeguarding the Ganges' ecological integrity requires science-driven policies, coordinated action across sectors, and a sustained commitment to sustainable river management.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
