NEW DELHI, Mar 21: A seven-member Court of Arbitration (CoA) constituted under the Indus Water Treaty in its Partial Award on Kishenganga Hydro-Electric Project in February has decided that diversion of water is a permissible subject to constructing and operating the project to maintain a minimum flow in river at a rate determined by the CoA in its final Award.
Answering a question, Minister for Water Resources Harish Rawat said in a written answer that the CoA had also decided that the lowering of water level in reservoirs of Run of River plants below dead storage level on Western rivers of the Indus system to flush out sediment was not permissible under the Treaty. However, this decision does not apply to projects in operation or under construction without having been objected by Pakistan.
The decision also lifted its stay on construction and operation of the project. Media reports from Pakistan on the verdict had sent out mixed reaction. He said the revised estimate cost of Kishenganga project was approved by the Government in 2008 and the construction works through a contract was in progress, the Minister said.
(UNI)
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