Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: Despite the role of Pakistan in the barbaric Pahalgam massacre becoming clearer day by day, there are many political leaders who are questioning the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and are pleading for leniency to Pakistan said Brig. (retd) Anil Gupta, security and strategic analyst.
The enemy must be hit where it hurts it most. Water is the vulnerability of Pakistan and it hurts the elite Punjabi and Sindhi communities that virtually rule Pakistan and dominate the Army. It’s time to reap the dividends of the suspension of the treaty and benefit own population and farmers asserted Brig Gupta.
While the projects on the Indus and Jhelum need time and huge monetary resources, the ongoing projects on the Chenab in Kishtwar district need to be fast tracked to ensure that there are no further delays and these are ready for commissioning in the next 2-4 years as planned.
Ratle Hydroelectric Project, a 850 MW run-of-the-river Hydroelectric Power Station on the Chenab river with permitted pondage as per IWT not only should be completed by the planned date of May 2026 but should also explore the possibility of increased pondage to restrict the flow into Pakistan.
As far as Pakal Dul and Bursar projects are concerned both are being constructed on Marusudar river, a major tributary of the Chenab. They are both storage based hydroelectric projects different from the run-of-the-river projects, stated Brig Gupta. These projects will not only help in power generation but will also assist in regulating water release during lean months.
While Pakal Dul is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026, the deadline for the Bursar Project is 2028. All these projects were delayed beyond acceptance due to the numerous objections from Pakistan alleging violations of the IWT.
The fact remains that most of the allegations were strategically motivated to prevent India from harnessing the Chenab water in order to hinder development of the politically sensitive Chenab Valley region.
The timely completion and commissioning of these projects will enhance India’s control over Chenab water, especially after IWT suspension, enabling flow regulation as a political cum punitive tool recommended Brig Gupta. It would also enable diverting water to Punjab or Jammu for irrigation and urban use changing the landscape of Kandi region and addressing the drinking water problem of Jammu city. These projects will also help in addressing our energy security concerns, reduce Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through clean energy apart from generating direct and indirect employment stated Brig Gupta.
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