Indus Waters Treaty: ‘Blood, water cannot flow at same time’, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed on Monday by top officials, including NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, regarding the options available before India in terms of abrogating the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. In the meeting, pros and cons associated with the move were stated before PM Modi. NDTV sources claim that government has scrapped the idea of abrogating the Nehruvian treaty with Pakistan. Sources have further claimed that instead of scrapping the treaty, government has decided to pull the strings against Pakistan by asserting the rights allocated to India as per the treaty. A decision has been taken to utilize the Western rivers of Indus basin to maximum potential, sources said. However, PM Modi exhibited a tough stance at the meeting and reportedly said, “Blood and water cannot flow at the same time.”

Sources claim that government has decided to use the legal rights of the treaty which have been ignored since the past 30 years. 3 dams could be constructed on river Chenab by the Indian government, sources added. The hydroelectric power plant planned by India on the Western rivers would generate 15,000 MW of electricity, sources added. Water within the rights of India would be diverted to the state of Jammu & Kashmir, which would aid in irrigation of 6 lakh hectares of agricultural land. In the meeting, government also mulled the option of reviving the Tulbul Navigation project on Jhelum river, which is pending since 1987.

The Indus basin is host to six rivers, which are categorized as Eastern rivers and Western rivers. While the former comprises of Satluj, Beas and Ravi, the latter includes Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. As per the Indus Waters Treaty signed between the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan in 1960, India was given complete rights over the Eastern rivers. Whereas, nearly 67 per cent of the water of Western rivers should be preserved for Pakistan.

The rivers of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi (about 11 cubic km) could be completely utilized by India for all purposes. However, large amount of unused water flows into Pakistan each year. On the other hand, the total annual flow of Western rivers (Jhelum, Indus and Chenab) is 232.2 cubic km. India is allowed to used 62.2 cubic km of the water, but only for non-consumption purpose. As per the treaty, India could also use the water for setting up hydroelectric power plants. However, New Delhi has refrained from asserting the rights granted to it on the Western rivers. More than 170.3 cubic km of water flows into Pakistan each year.

Experts have opined that any sort of infringement of the share of water allotted to Pakistan as per the treaty, would rattle the entire political establishment in Islamabad. From consumption to agrarian needs, water of the Western rivers fulfills the requirement for Pakistan.




Source:india.com

loading...