Sapta Kosi High Dam Project

Sapta Kosi High Dam Project

India and Nepal recently decided to move the Sapta Kosi high dam project forward with additional research.
Senior officials from the two countries met and discussed their collaboration in the water sector, especially the Mahakali Treaty's implementation.

What are the Mahakali Treaty and the Sapta Kosi High Dam Project?

On Nepal's Saptakoshi River, a multifunctional project called the Sapta Kosi High Dam is being considered (Known as Kosi River in India).
The project's main goals are to produce hydropower and regulate floods in northern Bihar and the southeast of Nepal.
The project will produce 3,000 MW of energy, provide irrigation, and prevent flooding.

Mahakali Agreement:

The Pancheshwar Project, Sarada Barrage, and Tanakpur Barrage are all included in the 1996 Mahakali Treaty, which governs the coordinated development of the Mahakali River.
Before joining the Ganges near Kursela in the Katihar district, the river enters northern Bihar, India, where it divides into distributaries.
After the Brahmaputra in India, the Kosi transports the most sand and silt.
It is also known as the "Sorrow of Bihar" because the yearly floods disrupt the rural economy by affecting around 21,000 sq. km. of fertile agricultural regions.
In Uttarakhand, the Mahakali River is also referred to as Sharda River or Kali Ganga.
It merges with the Ganga tributary Ghagra river in Uttar Pradesh.

What are the Kosi River System's known facts?

A transnational river called the Kosi traverses Tibet, Nepal, and India.
Its source, which contains the highest upland in the world, is Tibet. From there, it drains a sizable portion of Nepal before emerging onto the Gangetic plains.
The Sun Kosi, Arun, and Tamur, its three main tributaries, come together slightly upstream of a 10-kilometer gorge carved by the Himalayan foothills.???????

What other recent changes have there been in relations between India and Nepal?

BOOT: Build Own Operate and Transfer

The Government of Nepal and Sutlej Jal Vikas Nigam (SJVN) Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2008 for the project's execution on a Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis for a period of 30 years, including five years of the construction period.

Hydropower Initiatives:

Additionally, Nepal asked Indian businesses to contribute to its West Seti hydropower project.

Border-crossing Rail Link:

The 35-kilometer cross-border train link between Jayanagar, Bihar, and Kurtha, Nepal, would be operationalized before being expanded to Bijalpura and Bardibas (Nepal).

Source: The financial Express

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