India violates IWT?

The Officials from General Headquarters (GHQ), National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak), Wapda, Irrigation Department of Punjab and Pakistan Commission of Indus Water (PCIW) met on Saturday to discuss the adverse impacts on Pakistan's water and defence interests as a result of construction of three dams in Ladakh region on River Indus. India is constructing large dams on River Indus, which include Nimoo Bazgo with a height of 57 metres, Dumkhar of 42 metres and Chutak dam of 59 metres to basically generate hydropower. The huge quantum of water to be stored in the three dams could play havoc in northern areas of Pakistan if the reservoirs either get collapsed for any reason or New Delhi intentionally or unintentionally releases the huge quantity of water.

It was decided that the matter should be taken up at government level with India, and if the dispute remains unresolved by both the governments, then neutral expert should be moved. Pakistan had suffered a loss exceeding five billion rupees in paddy crop production only in the wake of water shortage after India stopped Chenab water to fill its Baglihar dam during the month of September 2008. Pakistan had demanded that India release the quantity of water to make up the shortfall. India is violating Indus Water Treaty, and the objective seems to be India's attempt to dry up Pakistan. The reason being, India right from the beginning tried to create problems for Pakistan because it could not reconcile with the separate homeland for Muslims. Now India feels that Pakistan is a major obstacle in its hegemonic designs against the countries in the region.

India's think-tanks have been working on river diversion plans with a view to creating acute water shortage in Pakistan, which could lead to acute shortage of wheat and other crops and also result in inter-provincial conflicts over distribution of water. But those who think that India could make Pakistan a desert through river diversion plans do not understand that there may not be a war on Kashmir but there could be a water war between two nuclear states, which could be disastrous for both the countries. The Indus River Basin has been an area of conflict between India and Pakistan for about four decades. Spanning 1,800 miles, the river and its tributaries together make up one of the largest irrigation canals in the world. Dams and canals built by India in order to provide hydropower and irrigation have dried up stretches of the Indus River, which is a cause of great concern for Pakistan Anyhow, the division of the Indus river basin water has created friction among the countries of South Asia, and among their states and provinces.

Accusations of overdrawing of share of water made by each province have resulted in the lack of water supplies to coastal regions of Pakistan. Anyhow, Pakistan had expressed the concern that storage of Chenab water at Baglihar dam would make available 7000 to 8000 cusecs less water daily during Rabi season, which would adversely impact the agricultural production. India on the other hand said that the project was meant for power generation, and no canal would be dug out to take water from the dam for irrigation purposes, and that the withheld water would be released to Pakistan after using for power generation. The question arises as to who will guarantee that no canal will be taken out, and furthermore that the flow of water will not be disturbed. According to the treaty India could not use Chenab water in a way that it could affect the quantity or flow of the river. And by making the reservoir, the flow of water will indeed be affected. Pakistan government should take up the matter of three dams on Indus river with the United Nations, which is guarantor for Indus Water Treaty.