DPRs of projects to be raised discussed
Short, long-term measures under consideration
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 23: Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed progress on the Government decision taken in the aftermath of April 22 Pahalgam terror attack to scrap Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan with concerned Ministers and senior officers in New Delhi with a view to block flow of water of three rivers in Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan.
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Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar besides senior officers of their Ministries and the Ministry of Home Affairs attended the meeting in which short term, medium term and long term decision to prevent flow of water of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers from Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan was discussed.
“The DPRs of projects India will raise on three rivers to ensure that their water doesn’t flow to Pakistan have either been prepared or are in the process of preparation,” the sources said, adding the high-level meeting discussed progress on this front.
They said the Home Minister issued a series of directions at the meeting pertaining to the IWT for implementation.
As per the sources, the senior officers of MHA, Jal Shakti and Power Ministries besides other stakeholders have regularly been holding meetings to devise strategies on implementing the Central Government decision to stop flow of water to Pakistan from three rivers of Jammu and Kashmir.
They said the Government proposed to construct dams and rivers to divert waters of the three rivers to the Indian States to boost irrigation and water shortage instead of allowing flow of water to Pakistan, the sources said.
The plans revolve around boosting India’s ability to retain, divert and repurpose water that would have otherwise flowed to Pakistan. The measures such as desilting of existing dams, the construction of new storage reservoirs and the redirection of river flows have been planned to maximise water retention.
“The Government is also looking to fast-track several hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir that had previously faced objections from Pakistan under the IWT’s consultative clauses.
The suspension of the treaty now allows India to proceed with these initiatives without the obligation to notify or obtain clearance from Pakistan, removing a significant procedural hurdle.
Brokered by the World Bank, the Indus Water Treaty allocates the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — to India and the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab – all in Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan. An average annual flow of around 135 MAF was largely allocated to Pakistan.
Following April 22 Pahalgam attack by the Pakistani terrorists in which 26 civilians including 25 tourists and a local guide were killed, India had suspended 1960 Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.
India’s Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee had written to her Pakistani counterpart Syed Ali Murtaza within few days of the Pahalgam attack that sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting Jammu and Kashmir impedes India’s rights under the Indus Waters Treaty.
Immediately after suspending the IWT, the Central Government had announced a comprehensive three-phase approach – short-term, mid-term, and long-term – to operationalize the decision and restrict the flow of river water into Pakistan.
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