Kishanganga Project ( Indus)

India has to act fast on Kishanganga project


PAKISTAN is again resorting to accusations about projects in J&K after it failed to convince the World Bank about India violating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) provisions in the Baglihar project. Its attempt now is to make the Kishanganga Project a disputed scheme, thereby seeking the bank’s intervention and delaying the project.
Pakistan’s only objective seems to be to stall India’s efforts in developing the hydro-potential in the Indus system, permitted by the IWT (1960), a treaty lauded as a model for international agreements on water sharing, though it is nothing of the sort.
International treaties on the use of trans-boundary rivers aim at achieving the optimum development and utilisation of the water resources to benefit the co-basin states. But this is not happening in the case of the IWT.
Unlike other international water treaties, IWT is unique in ignoring accepted international practices. For example, the method adopted for water sharing is by equal distribution of the number of rivers in the system flowing through India, rather than equitable distribution of water in the entire basin; there is no time limit for its operational validity thus making it an agreement ad-infinitum; there is no provision for either party to withdraw from the treaty; its clauses enable non-constructive application of treaty provisions to stall developmental efforts but are not very specific on sound engineering practices needed to achieve the objectives.
All along, the treaty has been hyped as a model for sharing and utilisation of any international river, since, due to its in-built resilience, it could survive two wars and many war-like situations between the two countries in the past. But the fact is that it has outlived the tempests of history only because India was willing to adjust to Pakistan’s tantrums, though India got a raw deal in the treaty getting only about 20 per cent share of the Indus waters against more than 40 per cent due on equity considerations. Other treaty provisions are also favouring Pakistan.
India has always been willing to accommodate Pakistan in the interest of good neighbourly relations. Encouraged by our tolerance, Pakistan continues to make Indian projects a subject of endless debate, to delay implementation. Construction of the Wular project meant to facilitate cheap inland water transport to the apple growers of interior J&K, had to be stopped. Completion of the Baglihar hydroelectric project (450MW) was delayed by many years.
Pakistan has so far succeeded in delaying more than 25 Indian projects raising the bogey of treaty violations.Consequently, out of the estimated 8825 mw of hydro-potential to be exploited by India from the western rivers of the Indus system, only about 1300 mw has been harnessed so far. This has affected development plans in J&K.
The Kishanganga project envisages construction of a dam across the Kishanganga river, a tributary of the Jhelum. The ponded waters would be diverted through a tunnel and a powerhouse again to the main Jhelum river and in the process would generate 330 mw of power using a drop of 297 metres. With the diverted Jhelum water returning back to the main river, Pak’s share of Jhelum water would remain unaffected.
The project details were furnished to Pakistan in the nineties, as per the treaty provisions. As usual, Pakistan objected, insisting out that the Indian project affected their existing uses downstream. In meetings after meetings India sought details of their existing uses, but instead of the details, Pakistan continued to harp on treaty violations by India to attract World Bank intervention.
Recent media reports indicate that China has offered help to Pakistan to overcome its water and power crisis. It has promised help to construct their Basha dam. It is also reported that Pakistan has awarded the 2.16 billion dollar Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric project at a site downstream of our project, to Chinese companies, to complete the work in 7 years.
Experience shows that China is least concerned about Indian protests. Thus, while engaging India on unending discussions, Pakistan would be able to complete the project before India and then claim that the Indian project would affect the existing power generation, and hence would be violating treaty provisions.
India should take up and complete the Kishanganga project immediately. It has lost many trying to appease Pakistan. Still, it is not too late. India has to act and act fast.


(The Tribune, dated 22nd May, 2008)