News Highlight
India and Nepal have agreed to take forward the Sapta Kosi high dam project after reviewing bilateral water-sector cooperation.
Key Takeaway
- After the 7th Joint Standing Technical Committee on Water Resources meeting, which assessed bilateral water sector cooperation, India and Nepal decided to move forward with the Kosi high dam project.
The Sapta Kosi high dam project
- About
- It is a multipurpose project proposed to be constructed on the Saptakoshi River of Nepal (Known as Kosi River in India).
- Aims and objectives:
- The project is primarily aimed at controlling floods in southeast Nepal and northern Bihar and generating hydropower.
- Electricity:
- The project will provide irrigation, control floods and generate 3,000 MW of electricity.
Kosi River System
- About
- It is a transboundary river which flows through Tibet, Nepal and India.
- Origin:
- It has its source in Tibet, then drains a large part of Nepal before emerging onto the Gangetic plains.
- Tributaries:
- Its three major tributaries:
- The Sun Kosi
- Arun
- Tamur
- Its three major tributaries:
- The Kosi River and India:
- The river crosses into northern Bihar, India, where it branches into distributaries before joining the Ganges near Kursela in the Katihar district.
- It is also known as the “Sorrow of Bihar” as the annual floods affect about 21,000 sq. km. of fertile agricultural lands, thereby disturbing the rural economy.
India-Nepal hydropower cooperation
- Mahakali Treaty:
- It is an agreement between the government of India and the government of Nepal regarding the development of the watershed of Mahakali River.
- The treaty was signed in 1996.
- The treaty recognises the Mahakali River as a boundary river between the two countries.
- The Upper Karnali Project:
- It is a proposed run-of-the-river hydroelectric plant on the Karnali river in Nepal.
- It will have an installed capacity of 900 MW, making it the largest hydropower plant in Nepal when achieved.
- Most of the generated power is set to be exported to both Bangladesh (about 500 MW) and India (another 292 MW), via a 400 kV double circuit transmission line.
- The Arun Three projects:
- Arun three is an under-construction run-of-the river-type hydroelectric project located at the Arun River in Nepal.
- The project is of 900 megawatts capacity.
- In 2017, the cabinet of India approved the project for construction.
- The surplus power from the project will be exported to India from Dhalkebar in Nepal to Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
Content Source: Economic Times