Might 05, 2025 (MLN): India has begun work to spice up reservoir holding capability at two hydroelectric tasks within the Himalayan area of Kashmir, sources with information of the matter instructed Reuters, after recent pressure with Pakistan led it to droop a water-sharing pact.

The work represents the primary tangible step by India to function outdoors agreements lined by the Indus Waters Treaty, unbroken since 1960 regardless of three wars and a number of other different conflicts between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Final month, nevertheless, New Delhi suspended the pact that ensures provide to 80% of Pakistani farms after an assault in Kashmir killed 26, and it recognized two of the three assailants as Pakistani.

Islamabad has threatened worldwide authorized motion over the suspension and denied any position within the assault, warning, “Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan … will be considered as an act of war”.

A “reservoir flushing” course of to take away sediment started on Thursday, carried out by India’s largest hydropower firm, state-run NHPC Ltd, and authorities within the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the three sources stated.

The work could not instantly threaten provide to Pakistan, which will depend on rivers flowing by India for a lot of its irrigation and hydropower, but it surely might ultimately be affected if different tasks launch comparable efforts.

There are greater than half a dozen such tasks within the area, as Reuters reported.

India didn’t inform Pakistan concerning the work on the Salal and Baglihar tasks, which is being accomplished for the primary time since they have been inbuilt 1987 and 2008/09, respectively, because the treaty had blocked such work, the sources added.

They spoke on situation of anonymity as they weren’t authorised to speak to the media.

India’s NHPC and the neighbouring governments didn’t reply to emails from Reuters to hunt remark.

Since independence from British colonial rule in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, along with quite a few brief conflicts.

The flushing operation ran for 3 days from Might 1, the sources stated.

“This is the first time such an exercise has taken place and will help in more efficient power generation and prevent damage to turbines,” one of many sources instructed Reuters.

“We were also asked to open the adjustable gates for cleaning, which we did from May 1,” the supply stated, including that the trouble aimed to free dam operation from any restrictions.

Individuals residing on the banks of the Chenab river on the Indian facet of Kashmir stated they seen water had been launched from each Salal and Baglihar dams from Thursday to Saturday.

The flushing of hydropower tasks requires practically emptying a reservoir to pressure out sediments whose build-up is a significant reason for decline in output.

For instance, two of the sources stated, energy delivered by the 690-MegaWatt Salal challenge was far beneath its capability, as a result of Pakistan had prevented such flushing, whereas silting additionally hit output on the 900-MW Baglihar challenge.

“Flushing is not a common thing because it leads to a lot of water wastage,” stated one of many sources.

“Downstream countries are expected to be informed in case it leads to any inundation.”

Constructing each tasks had required in depth backwards and forwards with Pakistan, which worries about dropping out on its share of water.

Underneath the 1960 treaty, which cut up the Indus and its tributaries between the neighbours, India had additionally shared knowledge resembling hydrological flows at numerous spots on the rivers flowing by India and issued flood warnings.

India’s water minister has vowed to “ensure no drop of the Indus river’s water reaches Pakistan”.

Authorities officers and specialists on either side say India can not cease water flows instantly, nevertheless, because the treaty has allowed it solely to construct hydropower crops with out important storage dams on the three rivers allotted to Pakistan.

The suspension means India “can now pursue our projects at free will”, stated Kushvinder Vohra, a just lately retired head of India’s Central Water Fee who labored extensively on Indus disputes with Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authorities has sought to renegotiate the treaty in recent times and the archfoes have tried to settle a few of their variations on the Everlasting Court docket of Arbitration within the Hague.

These issues associated to the dimensions of the water storage space on the area’s Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric crops.

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Posted on: 2025-05-05T13:50:17+05:00