Srinagar:
Following its decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, India briefly stopped the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River. According to reports, the Center is planning a similar steps at the Kijinganga dam.
This step is temporary because the Baglihar Dam is made in line with the Indus Waters Treaty and can catch a limited amount of water after which it must be released. But in view of the terrorist attack, it is clearly a warning sign for Islamabad.
The Chenab, on which the Baglihar Dam is built, is a “Western River” and, according to the Waters Treaty, Pakistan is entitled to its unrestricted use. India can use these rivers water only for agricultural use, hydroelectric power generation, or any other form of non-individual use.
The Baglihar project is a run-off-the-super power project in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. A run-of-the-supervise project has very little or no water storage. The project currently produces 900 MW of hydroelectrics. The first phase of the project was completed in 2008 and the second in 2015. The Kichinganga project, a run-of-the-river project, is also located in Bandipore and has a 330 MW capacity.
Pakistan had objected to both these projects, alleging that the design and parameters had violated the water treaty. It said that the parameters of Baglihar Dam will give India a strategic benefit during the struggle.
After several rounds of talks, there was not an agreement on Baglihar, Pakistan flagged off its objections to the World Bank, a signatoror for the Indus Water Treaty. A World Bank -appointed specialist retained some of Pakistan’s objections, but dismissed his concerns over the height of the dam and the control of the spillway.
In the Keynganga project, Pakistan also raised objections and said that India is not allowed to remove water from one tributary from another. Islamabad went to the World Bank and ruled in the court of mediation in favor of New Delhi.
India’s move to stop water is temporary as the Baglihar Dam can catch water at only a certain height. Once met, India will have to release water. The only way to prevent water for a long period is to increase the height of the dam, which will not be overnight.
Pakistan has earlier warned that any step to prevent water by India will be considered as a war task and threatened to suspend all bilateral agreements, including the Shimla Agreement that validate the Line of Control.
The relationship between the two neighbors has given nose in view of the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, killing 25 tourists and a Kashmiri in cold blood. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that “Kargil to Kanyakumari” has “grief and anger” over murders. The Prime Minister said, “This attack was not only on innocent tourists; the enemies of the country have shown the audacity to attack the soul of India,” saying that terrorists who carried out the attack and those who plotted it, they get “punishment, they cannot imagine”.
The investigation of the shocking terrorist strike has pointed to Pakistan’s involvement, which has previously supported many acts of terror on Indian soil.
