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The Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna (GBM) river system flows through five countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal – characterized by large population, limited land resources, and frequent floods and natural hazards. Although the GBM region is well endowed with water sources, this is one of the poorest regions in the world. Its economy and human and environmental health depend on water, and water is thus at the heart of sustainable development, economic growth, and poverty reduction. This paper examines the opportunities for, and potential socio-economic benefits of, water resource management in the GBM region in the face of changing climate. It argues that water can be an entry point for addressing challenges common to the region, particularly through multi-purpose river projects that store monsoon water, mitigate the effects of floods and droughts, augment dry season river flows, expand irrigation and navigation facilities, generate hydropower, and enhance energy and environmental security. The paper emphasizes the importance of effective regional cooperation in water management to achieve these benefits. Upstream–downstream interdependencies necessitate development of a shared river system in an integrated and collaborative manner. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Arsenic occurs in three common allotrops namely metallic grey, yellow and black. Arsenic founds in shallow aquifer of Ganga and Brahmaputra River Basin. Arsenic contamination in groundwater in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin in India is reported as arsenic contaminated zone. There are seven highly contaminated states namely-West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Assam, Manipur and Chhattisgarh in India. Three districts namely Ballia, Gazhipur and Varanasi in UP are contaminated with very high amount of arsenic. In Ballia district 5 out of 17 blocks are highly contaminated and people are suffering by skin disease related to arsenic. The results depicted that extent amount of arsenic is found in eastern part of Ballia District. The objective of this paper is to study the extent and magnitude of arsenic in groundwater for almost all shallow, medium and deep aquifer of Murli Chhapra Block. Results showed 78% samples are contaminated with arsenic. The contamination rate is in decreasing order by going down(shallow>medium>deep aquifers). In the study area more than 80 percent people have their own hand pump ranged between 12mto 25m in shallow aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]