The Modi government at the Center has given a big blow to Pakistan regarding full utilization of the water of Indus and its tributaries. A panel of the Environment Ministry has approved the 260 MW Dulhasti Phase-II hydroelectric project on Chenab river in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. This approval has been given at a time when the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan is still suspended.
After the Pahalgam terror attack, the central government had suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Islamabad. Only after this decision, New Delhi took rapid steps to utilize the water of the western tributaries of the Indus River. The objective of all this was to maximize India’s hydropower potential and give priority to water security.
India will use the entire water of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab
The central government’s National Hydropower Corporation (NHPC) had in July invited international tenders for the 1,856 MW Sawalkot hydropower project on the same river in Jammu and Kashmir. Due to adherence to International Water Conservation Treaty, there were many constraints regarding India’s use of water of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, which have now ended after the suspension of IWT. The new hydropower projects approved are all ‘run-of-river’ projects, which are now legal after the treaty was suspended.
Pakistan’s agriculture affected
Despite this, Islamabad has repeatedly protested and accused New Delhi of waging a water war against Pakistan. Last week, Islamabad made new allegations regarding the decreasing and irregular flow of water in the Chenab river which enters its border from India. Pakistan has been repeatedly claiming that their agriculture is in danger due to obstruction in the water flow of the river.
Pakistan said serious violation
Regarding this decision of India, PPP leader and former minister of Pakistan Sherry Rehman said that this is a serious misuse of the water of Chenab river. Rehman’s office said in a post that India’s approval of the Dulhasti project on the Chenab river is a clear and serious violation of the Indus Water Treaty. Any unilateral action on the disputed rivers directly undermines Pakistan’s recognized water rights and poses a serious threat to regional peace.
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