India to go ahead with Kiru Hydro Plant Design Rubbishes Pakistani Objections
Pakistan has a habit of raising objections whenever India takes step for cutting down Carbon footprint by increasing the production of hydro electricity. In the past Pakistan had raised objections on small hydropower projects started at Chilling, Rongdo and Ratan Nag in Leh district of Union Territory of Ladakh. Pakis also had strong objections on projects at Mangdum Sangra, Hunderman and Tamasha hydropower projects which are in Kargil district. India just dismissed the objections stating that the designs of all these projects were also fully compliant with the Indus Water Treaty.
The Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960. As per the treaty all the waters of — Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi — amounting to around 33 million acre feet (MAF) annually is for unrestricted use by India. The waters of Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — amounting to around 135 MAF annually has been assigned largely to Pakistan.
The treaty, gives right to India to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river projects on the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab subject to specific criteria for design and operation and limits the amount of water which can be stored for irrigation and other purposes. The treaty also gives Pakistan the right to raise objection on Indian design within three month of the receipt of the information. India had supplied the information on this project in June to Pakistan
Earlier this year, during a meeting between Indus Commissioner of India and Pakistan, their side had raised objections on the designs of Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydropower projects in UT of Jammu and Kashmir. To this, India said the designs are fully compliant with the treaty.
Now once again, Pakistan has raised objections to the design of India’s Kiru hydroelectric plant which is a mega 624 MW project over the Chenab in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. However New Delhi has again reiterated that the project is fully compliant with the Indus Water Treaty.
Confirming the above, India’s Indus Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Saxena told PTI that his Pakistani counterpart Syed Muhammad Meher Ali Shah raised the objections last week.
Saxena, straight away asserted that the design of the project was fully compliant with the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). It has been certified by the Central Water Commission, an apex organisation of the country in the field of water resources.
This run-of-river project is being implemented by Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited, a joint venture of the National Hydropower Company and Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC).
India being a good upper riparian state, is committed for full utilisation of its rights and at the same time believes in an amicable resolution of all the issues raised by Pakistan side in both letter and spirit of the treaty.
Pakistan’s objections on this project is certainly going to come up for discussions in the next meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission scheduled this year in Pakistan. Over there India will explain its position with facts and figures.
