NEW DELHI, May 5: A week after India suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, the government has begun increasing reservoir storage capacities at two hydroelectric projects in Kashmir, official sources said.
Specifically, ‘reservoir flushing’ – i.e., removing of sediment – was carried out at the Salal and Baglihar projects by the state-run National Hydroelectric Power Corporation last week. The government is also expected to accelerate construction of six stalled projects in the region – a 1,856 MW project in Sawalkot, the Kirthai I and I facilities that will generate a combined 1,320 MW, and a 1,000 MW facility in Pakal Dul, as well as three others making a total of 2,224 MW.
Once these six are completed, Jammu and Kashmir could generate up to 10,000 MW of electricity, and there could be more water for irrigation and domestic consumption in the plains. All of this is significant because if the IWT was still operational, India would have had to give Pakistan six months’ notice before starting construction, during which time Islamabad would have mounted multiple legal challenges to delay or cancel the projects.
The flushing of the reservoirs was key for the same reason; India had not been able to clean them since they were built in 1987 and 2009 as it had been prohibited by the IWT. Flushing had been banned as downstream countries, in this case Pak, may face flooding and destruction of property from the force of the released water. It also leads to wastage.
However, sources said finally being able to carry out the flushing exercise would “help in more efficient power generation and prevent damage to the turbines.” It was pointed out that the 690 MW Salal and the 900 MW Baglihar plants had been operating well below capacity.
With regard to construction starting on the six projects, a major meeting is likely to be held this week between Home Minister Amit Shah, Water Resources Minister CR Paatil, Power Minister ML Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan, and senior officials from each ministry.
Two meetings – between Mr Shah, Mr Paatil, and their ministry officials – have already taken place, in which other possible activities, including initiating of new projects along the Chenab (allotted to India under the IWT) and Jhelum (to Pakistan) rivers and reviving the Wular Lake.
India suspended the IWT with Pakistan on April 24, vowing not one drop of water would cross the border. The IWT is a critical agreement for Pak; it divides the Indus River and its five major tributaries between India and itself, and supplies nearly 80 per cent of that country’s farms.
(Manas Dasgupta)
