CAPF AC 2022 Q84: Geography – Indian Rivers & Water Resources
Ganga water is being shared at Farakka with which one of the following countries?
- (a) Nepal
- (b) Bhutan
- (c) Bangladesh
- (d) Myanmar
Answer: (c) Bangladesh
Explanation
Sharing the Ganga at Farakka
How to think: the Farakka Barrage is in West Bengal, just before the Ganga enters Bangladesh.
So the water is shared with Bangladesh.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Barrage | Farakka, Murshidabad district, West Bengal; working since 1975 |
| Purpose | To send water into the Hugli and flush silt from Kolkata port |
| Treaty | Ganga Water Sharing Treaty, 1996 |
| Signed by | H. D. Deve Gowda and Sheikh Hasina |
| Duration | 30 years, up to 2026 |
| Applies to | The dry season, 1 January to 31 May |
In Bangladesh: the Ganga is called the Padma.
Other river treaties: Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan (1960); Mahakali Treaty with Nepal (1996).
Answer: (c) Bangladesh.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. With Nepal India shares the Kosi, Gandak and Mahakali, not Farakka's waters.
- (b) Incorrect. Bhutan is not on the Ganga.
- (c) CORRECT. The Ganga's waters at Farakka are shared with Bangladesh under the 1996 treaty.
- (d) Incorrect. Myanmar has no link with the Ganga.
Key point
Farakka Barrage (West Bengal) → Ganga Water Sharing Treaty with Bangladesh, 1996, valid 30 years. Ganga = Padma in Bangladesh; joins the Jamuna (Brahmaputra) and Meghna. The Teesta sharing agreement is still pending.
Remember
Farakka, 1996: Ganga water treaty with Bangladesh.
Common mistakes
- Marking Nepal, where many Ganga tributaries rise.
- Mixing up the Farakka treaty with the unsigned Teesta agreement.
- Forgetting that the barrage was built to save Kolkata port.
Exam tip
Educated guess: ask which country lies downstream of West Bengal on the Ganga. Only a downstream country needs a share of the water.
Sources
- Ministry of Jal Shakti — Indo-Bangladesh cooperation: Treaty on Sharing of the Ganga Waters at Farakka (1996)
- NCERT Class XI Geography — India: Physical Environment, Chapter 3: Drainage System