The Issue of FARAKKA:
An Introduction
IV. The "Expert" Game
Given the importance of the water resources of this region, which is shared by the neighboring countries, it was only appropriate that thorough, objective and non-partisan study of the project and the related issues and problems should have been undertaken.
"In 1957, Professor Dr. Walter Hensen, a well reputed hydraulic engineer of West Germany was employed by the Government of India as consultant to look into the Hooghly' problems. The 'terms of reference' of his consultancy could not be analyzed here as his report is not readily available. In our research it is found that from this time on the issue was considered to be confidential or "For official use only". . This report, described as 'a seal of approval', in fact, served the purpose of legitimization of the Farakka Barrage by a foreign expert." [Begum, p. 29]
"To this project of India, Pakistan, the lower riperian (in East Bengal/Pakistan), expressed its grave concern as it posed a threat to its vast economy dependent on the Padma. Pakistan Government, therefore, took the initiative to investigate the Hooghly's problems. In 1961-62 Pakistan Government appointed two American Experts, Professor T. Ippean and C.W. Wicker to investigate the problem. They observed no evidence of decrease of fresh water flow in the Hooghly at least in the last 15 years. They found that the salinity condition of the Hooghly has increased due to flood discharge and controlled fresh water flows from the Damodar and Rupnarayan rivers. Their final conclusion was that the diversion of the fresh water into the Hooghly would not contribute to the solution of, but was likely to accentuate the shoaling problem. They also found that the economic benefits from the Barrage were not justified in view of the cost of the project." [Begum, p. 29]
The American experts, invited by Pakistan to study the project, "were not given all the data available to Indian engineers, but they were given the reports which India had supplied to the Pakistan Government. ... Indian engineers have argued that Ippen and Wicker did not understand because they did not have all the information. If this is so, the Government of India wilfully withheld relevant information from the Government of Pakistan. More to the point, Indian engineers have yet to substantiate their view that the Farakka diversions are effective. The Farakka Barrage has been operating since 1975 but the Government of India have refused to release the measurements which would show whether or not Farakka diversions are effective." [Ben Crow, University of California, Santa Cruz in Sunil Sarma, pp. 170-171]
There were also divergent opinion among Indian experts. Even as late as in 1972, in their article, 'Some considerations on the decay of the Bhagirathi system", S. R. Basu and S. C. Chakraborty write: "We are not suggesting that Farakka Project will or will not solve the basic malady of the port economy of Calcutta. We only want to emphasize that there is no objective reason to believe that a project like Farakka can at all reverse the process of decay of the Bhagirathi or at least counteract as to hold it suspended." [Begum, p. 35, quoting the authors from The Bhagirathi-Hooghly Basin, Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary Symposium, University of Calcutta, 1972]. The authors also urged: "If we wish to resuscitate the Bhagirathi, then let us do it in
a CIVILIZED way by first understanding the source of ailment and then by helping it overcome the malady in the way it is capable of doing. We cannot let the ravages of soil erosion go unabated in all the thalwegs of the right bank tributaries while expecting the Bhagirathi to clear the load." [Begum, p. 35]
"In the Period between 1957-58 Pakistan made three important proposals: (a) that both the parties should secure the advisory and technical services of a U.N. body to assist in planning for cooperative development of eastern rivers; (b) that the projects of the two countries be jointly examined by experts of the two countries before their implementation; (c) that the Secretary-General of U.N. be requested for the appointment of an engineer or engineers to participate in the meetings at expert level." [Begum, p. 91, quoting B. M. Abbas, The Ganges Water Dispute, Dhaka, University Press Limited, 1982]
"No" is what India said to each and every of these proposals. NO international mediation! NO joint study involving experts of both sides! NO presence of third party experts at bilateral meetings!
Prof. Hensen was the only outside expert, who was contracted by India to have an expert study and whose report was render "classified". Prof. Hensen passed away in 1972, and the report was considered so confidential that, according to one of his colleagues, Prof. Hensen was not allowed to bring his own copy of the report with him. [Begum, note #h, p. 32] "The report of Prof. Hensen was described as the 'seal of approval' by Debesh Mukherjee, once the General Manager of the Farakka Barrage. [Begum, "#i, p. 32]
Whether before or after the finalization of the project, Pre-1971 Pakistan could not take the issue to the international/multilateral level. Farakka is not a headache for post-1971 Pakistan any more. If Pakistan could not internationalize the issue due to the most remarkable intransigence of India, does Bangladesh have a chance?
Go to Part V: WATER-related Promises
Go to the Farakka Index
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