Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 4: In the backdrop of backtracking by the M/s Halcrow Consulting India Ltd, the Government has decided to go in for inviting fresh bids from the international firms instead of in-house study to quantify the losses suffered due to the discriminatory provisions of Indus Water Treaty (IWT).
M/s Halcrow Consulting India Ltd, a part of M/s Halcrow Group of UK, was engaged by the State Cabinet on April 2, 2013 for assessment of losses suffered by the State on account of Indus Water Treaty but the international consultancy company refused to carry out the assignment on the ground that Government took over two years to formally convey the decision.
Though there were suggestions from different quarters for ‘in-house’ study for early preparation of credible database, which is imperative to vociferously project the case before various fora to get compensation for the losses suffered due to the IWT, but the State Government has opined that study being very critical should be handled by any company having expertise in the field, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“Another ground behind rejecting the option of in-house study is that there may be reservations from certain quarters at the Union Government level in accepting the figures about the losses and in such a situation State Government may be asked to go in for quantification of losses from international firms”, sources said, adding “in order to avoid any such situation the Government has decided to get the job done through expert although the same will be a lengthy process”.
When attention was drawn towards the time consumed in completion of such an exercise earlier, sources said, “Government has decided to complete the fresh bidding process in a shortest possible time as it would not be in the interest of the State to delay the process anymore”, adding “nodoubt the completion of earlier bidding process whereby M/s Halcrow was engaged took more than two years but that doesn’t mean that the exercise cannot be completed in months. Moreover, the present Government is very serious about having credible database about the losses as early as possible for taking up the issue at various forums vociferously”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Working Group on Economic Development of J&K headed by Dr Rangarajan had recommended special grant for development of various power projects in the State and enhancement of free component of power to compensate the State for Indus Water Treaty losses.
Following the recommendations of Working Group, the Monitoring Commitee headed by Economic Advisor to State Government, which was constituted to oversee the implementation of various recommendations of the Working Group, suggested that Power Development Department may commission a qualified organization to quantify losses incurred like recurring losses because of IWT so that the issue of compensation is taken to its logical conclusion.
The Indus Water Treaty, which was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, dictates in perpetuity the sharing and usage of the water of the Indus River and its tributaries. As per the Treaty, India is under an obligation to ensure unrestricted flow of water of the Western Rivers which comprise of Indus, the Jehlum and Chenab rivers and tributaries to the Pakistan.
Unfortunately, for Jammu and Kashmir these rivers comprise the only three significant sources of water crossing the State which it could develop. Due to Indus Water Treaty, the State is only making limited withdrawals from the rivers for domestic use, non-consumptive use, specified agricultural use and restricted generation of hydro-electric power. Due to these limitations, the State has only been able to develop limited storage for hydropower, irrigation, flood control and domestic and other purposes.
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