Pak says it will face humanitarian crisis
*DPRs of many projects being expedited
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 29: India has been fast tracking clearances for construction of projects to divert flow of three rivers in Jammu and Kashmir to its own areas to stop water flowing to Pakistan while Pakistan has written to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) president, UN Secretary General and UN General Assembly president seeking their intervention on suspension of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) by India in the aftermath of April 26 Pahalgam terror attack.
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Few days back, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the DPRs and works to stop flow of water from three rivers-Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan after scrapping of the IWT in April following killing of 26 civilians including 25 tourists and a local guide by the Pakistani terrorists at Pahalgam in the Kashmir valley.
Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar have repeatedly been reviewing progress of the DPRs and hydropower projects over three rivers in Jammu and Kashmir which will eventually bring down the water flow to Pakistan hitting irrigation and other facilities to the neighbouring country.
Pakistan, in its letter to three representatives of the United Nations, has alleged that India continues to “weaponise water” following suspension of the IWT and warned that this could pose grave risk to regional peace and security.
The letter to the UN representatives has been written by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
The four-page letter claimed that disruption in water flow to Pakistan could trigger a humanitarian crisis affecting 240-million people and jeopardize Pakistan’s agriculture and food supply.
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 final stage of preparation.
Shah had recently issued a series of directions to the senior officers of the Home and others pertaining to the construction of projects in Jammu and Kashmir to stop water flow to Pakistan from the three rivers.
The Government proposed to construct dams and rivers to divert water 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 maximize 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.
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