The Union government has decided to set up an inter-ministerial committee to study India’s further options on the Indus Waters Treaty. The decision came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting to review the treaty following the terror attack in Uri.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, and senior PMO officials were present at the meeting.
Among the committee’s tasks would be to look into storage possibilities that would help irrigate fields in Jammu and Kashmir, where the State Assembly has often complained about the treaty being “unfair”. At present, India has access to the use of three “eastern” rivers of the Indus — the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, while it is allowed limited use of about 20 per cent of the three ‘western’ rivers — the Indus (Sindhu), Chenab and Jhelum.
More hydel projects The government also decided to build more run-of-the-river hydropower projects on western rivers, to exploit the full potential of 18,600 MW (current projects come to 11,406 MW) and to expedite the construction of the Pakal Dul, Sawalkot, Bursar dams in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.
A decision was taken to review restarting the Tulbul navigation project that India had suspended after Pakistan’s objections in 1987.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Modi referred to “water wars” as a serious concern while addressing scientists of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research. “Concerns over water security are brewing. Some say that there will be wars between countries over water,” adding that scientists must come up with solutions to ensure that water can be used more efficiently and land used better to improve crop varieties.
Asked if the decisions taken could trigger a protest or a case filed by Pakistan, sources underlined that no decision taken on Monday contravened the existing treaty.
“What was decided today is that India must use to the fullest its rights under the Indus Water Treaty. If you are asking me if we are afraid of following the law because someone might challenge us, the answer is no,” a senior official said.
In the wake of the Uri attack in which 18 soldiers were killed at an Army base close to the LoC by suspected Pakistani militants, several experts have demanded that India withdraw from the Indus Waters Treaty whose terms are considered generous to Pakistan.
“Suspension of talks is more symbolic and not substantive,” said Brahma Chellaney of the Centre for Policy Research about the measures taken on Monday. “This is not first time that the talks have been suspended. In the past, following the conflicts the talks were suspended. But nevertheless, a welcome step."
(With Jacob Koshy)
