2. Introduction of koshi river
• Koshi river is also called as Saptakosi whose
tributaries river are Sunkosi, Arun, Tamor,
Dudhkosi, Likhu, Tamakosi, and Indrawati.
• Total catchment area 92,538 km2.
• Travels 729 km before joining the Ganges at
Kurusela
• Avg. annual yield 50 billion m3
3. • Signed in 25th April 1954 between the
government of India and Nepal. The main
objective of that is hydropower , irrigation ,
flood control and navigation.
• Agreed to construct a Dam 3 miles upstream
of Hanuman nagar town.
• Build big concrete dam from Baraha chhetra
to Hanuman nagar of Nepal to control the
floods.
Introduction of koshi Barrage
4. • The koshi barrage is across the koshi river.
• It was build between 1958 to 1962.
• It has 56 gate to control the water.
• Total length of dam is 1150m and width is
10m.
• Height of dam is 269m (883 ft).
Introduction of koshi Barrage
5. Purpose of Dam
generation of Hydroelectric power(3000 MW).
Irrigation :- Kosi project irrigation of 87,000
hectares of Nepali Land, Indian land 2 million
hectares.
Flood control :-
6. • Initial agreements 783 feet high dam, 6.9
million acre feet of water, Dam at Chatara and,
desilation and improved drainage, 90,000 kw
of hydroelectricity
7. Kosi Terms
• Construction of Dam, Headworks and other
appurtenant works about 3 miles upstream of
Hanuman Nagar town on Kosi with afflux and
flood banks and canals within territories of
Nepal.
• Purpose: Flood control, irrigation, generation
of Hydroelectric power and prevention of
erosion of Nepal.
8. Hydropower potential 22,000 MW
Two peculiar characteristics
Carries huge amount of silt, sand and debris
Westward moving i.e. in last 250 years moved
westward 112 km
9. • 16 Clauses and sub-clauses of Kosi treaty
• Many unequal arrangements which caused many hues and cries against it.
• Clause 4(i) has not mentioned Nepal’s right to withdraw water from Kosi for
irrigation or for any other purposes or from its tributaries
• Clause 5(i) spelt for indefinite period of ownership of Nepalese project land by
India
• Clause 9(ii) of the treaty states that threatened condition of Dam or erosion of the
structure on account of the river, the officer of the project may restrict public
traffic under intimation of government of Nepal
• Nepal has to provide land, timber, sand, stone and other construction materials
free of cost
• It also clearly mentions in the treaty clause 7 that no charges of custom duty of
any kind during construction and subsequent maintenance of the project
• In fact, Nepal has contributed the same amount as much as India i.e land and
other necessary facilites to construct the Dam whereas India agreed to construct
the Dam, headwork and other connected works at the cost of India
10. • “Bandh Bannu purwa Kosi bharat ko dukha thiyo, yojana pachi nepal ko
dukha bhaeko cha” Shastra Dutta Panta
• The malasies is all the more unmistakable where India exercise control
over water supply as say in the Kosi and Gandak project, the water supply
becomes irregular because the structures geared to Nepal are not
properly maintained. The priority always goes to supplying water to the
Indian Canal System particularly in the lean season the Nepalese farmers
are very much left high and dry” Aditya Man Shrestha
• Fear of India: India wants to control the floods of Kosi river and other way
India wants to provide little water to Nepalese people
• Expected to irrigate 740,000 hectare and 312,000 hectare area by the
eastern and western canals
• A hydropower unit to generate 20 MW utilizing a drop was constructed in
the eastern main canal
• Inundation canal was also built at chatara to irrigate a gross area of 86,000
hectare in Nepal.
11. • Nepal provided 225 square km of fertile land of Terai, 10 lakhs cubic feet of timber,
uncountable stones and sands, elephants, communication facilities, fuel energy of
wood up to the project to 30,000 labourers free of cost
• More than that Nepal does not have any rights to levy any custom duty during
construction, future maintenance of the Dam and other related work according to
the Clause 7 of the treaty.
• More benefitial to India in terms of flood control, irrigation facilities, navigation
uses and domestic and drinking water
• Less advantageous to Nepal: Acknowledged by Indian academics also very late.
• Disadvantageous situation of Nepal: Nepalese expert did not study the project
properly, hasty decisions were taken, treaty was signed in an unstable government
of Matrika Prasad Koirala, Zero sum outcome to Nepal
• Nepalese see these agreements as an instance of loss of sovereignty as the
clauses in the original agreement gave Indian exclusive control over the project
installation and over the water allocation.
• Rishikesh Shah said,” Nepal and India have been at fault as they had been at the
time of Kosi and Gandak project.
• Nepali Congress govt. was called seller of country.
12. • Nepal’s critical situation is equally responsible
for the least benefits of the Kosi project.
• 42.5 crores cash contribution from India,
however Nepal contributed more than 42.5
crore in the form of land, stone, sand, timber,
labourers etc.
• India offered Devighat hydropower for
appeasing Nepal as a compensation of Kosi
project
13. • “ Kosi agreement turned out to be a one sided
collaboration at the cost of poor Nepal. …………
does not at all give the impression that two
sovereign states had signed it. ………… as if a
provincial authority was signing an agreement
with the central authority”. Aditya Man
Shrestha
• Kosi project irrigation of 87,000 hectares of
Nepali Land, Indian land 2 million hectares
14. • Control of the Dam bridge was given to India.
• The bridge connects vital link between eastern
and other parts of Nepal.
• Construction and properties of the Project belong
to India
• Communication facilities used freely by India
whereas these were not open to the Nepalese
side.
• Administrative power also taken by India
• Fishing rights up to two miles
15. • Positive aspect article 10 of the treaty.
• Free and unrestricted navigation in the Kosi
river.
• Has not been implemented on the grounds of
technical problems.
16. • Amendments to the treaty in Article 4,5
and16.
• Article 4(i) HMG has the right to withdraw
water for irrigation and power generation
from Kosi or its tributaries.
• Article 5 (i) Leasing of the land for 199 years
instead of unlimited at a nominal rate.
• Reiterated in Article 16.
17. • Eastern Canal 612,500 hectare and Western Canal 356,610 ha of
land of India
• Nepal irrigated land is negligible.
• 50% of electricity from any power house located 10 mile radius
• Cost involved (need to pay)
• Very unreliable and poor quality electricity supply.
• Irrigation project handed over to Nepal.
• Frequent repair and maintenance of the project through the World
Bank three time using loan and one time grant to correct the
mistakes
• Chatra Irrigation project- More irrigation facility
• Not effective, seepage due to poor quality, hampers the irrigation
• 13,800 ha of land in Saptri district, 11.4 cumecs of water from Kosi
18. • Solely dependent on the whims of the Indian
authority.
• Lean season, it is not available
• Get enough water at the time of rainy season.
• What a treaty!!!
