Crisis deepens as India blocks Chenab flow

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

"We have demanded the Indian commissioner for a visit of the site and a detailed report regarding the filling of the dam. Yet the Indian commissioner has not given any positive response yet," he said in an interview with BBC radio.

He said they would again seek the World Bank intervention if no resolution was found.

"Regarding the issue we will demand an equal distribution of water from India and if it is not possible then India will have to pay for our loss," Shah said.

"And if India does not fulfil our demands then any commissioner of the Treaty has the right to put the matter to any impartial expert."

He also added that Pakistan had demanded that India call for an emergency session as per the Indus Water Treaty and India had promised to hold a session in New Delhi. But no communication on this has yet been made by India.

Unless India cooperates better, and is more open to sharing information and monitoring data, her position will always be suspect. It seems the Pakistani officials had been trying for quite a while to address these issues with the Indians with no cooperation forthcoming.

 

[Neo]

Don't waste time and take the matter to WB. We've lost 37 billion rupees alreday.

 

[melb4aust]

Don't waste time and take the matter to WB. We've lost 37 billion rupees alreday.

yeah..........but u do know well about our Govt. if they get some time off from fighting for their own interests, and to look after the country and their people.

stop banging the wall.....bang ur head on their faces.

 

[Goodperson]

Totally agree........as the 1960 river treaty clearly provides Pakistan control on three western rivers water, including the Chenab river.

And now this cheap act of stealing Pakistani water is totally unethical and quite low from India.

I will quote from your own post

Regarding low level in month of September
--------------------------------------------

""Pakistan knows it very well that the water level of the Chenab falls during the month of September. This is not a recent occurrence but has been happening for many, many years," an Indian government official said.

Regarding filling up of Baghliar
-----------------------------

He added, "Pakistan's problem is not with the water level on the Chenab, but it is part of its frustration over the Baglihar dam, the construction of which it could not stop despite seeking the intervention of the World Bank."
"

 

[Contrarian]

I believe that the last verdict given by WB when the case was taken there by Pakistan was in India's favour?

 

[IceCold]

I believe that the last verdict given by WB when the case was taken there by Pakistan was in India's favour?

This is a whole different matter. Do you think that we will let India starve us of our water according to the IWT and we wont react just because previously the decision was taken in India's favour. Also the decision wasnt entirely in India's favour, our concerns were also addressed.

 

[was]

Chenab closure a plot by India's State Sponsored Terrorism
Sunday, 21 September 2008 11:06

Irrigation employees' power union (CBA) leader Allah Bakhsh Sial has termed the suspension of water supply in the river Chenab by India as a conspiracy against Pakistan and an attempt to create food shortage here.

In a press statement here on Saturday, he expressed his concerns over the closure of water supply. He demanded of the government to take solid steps to get the water supply restored at the earliest.
Pakistan Daily: Breaking News, Pakistan, World, Politics, Business & Sports News

 

[Neo]

Singh promises to resolve water issue​

NEW YORK (September 26 2008): Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has assured Pakistan that he will resolve the issue of Chenab water in true letter and in spirit of Indus Basin Treaty 1960. According to Pakistani officials, India had reduced water releases by 60 per cent in August to fill the newly constructed controversial Baglihar dam in held Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan is of the view that reduction in water releases in August has damaged its ready crops spreading over millions of acres in Punjab. "The Indus Water Treaty will be implemented in letter and in spirit. It is the obligation of Indian government and we will invite the Indus Water Commissioner soon after Eid to inspect the Baglihar dam," Singh told President Zardari on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Indian Water Commissioner did not respond to the letter of his Pakistani counterpart Syed Jamaat Ali Shah, who even had lodged protest over the delaying tactics by the Indian side.

The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-sharing treaty between Pakistan and India which was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960. The World Bank is a signatory as a third party. The Indus System of Rivers comprises three Western Rivers - the Indus, the Jhelum and Chenab and three Eastern Rivers - the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi.

In the hour-long meeting, the two leaders pledged to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir dispute and vowed to continue the peace process for bringing lasting peace to the region. Dr Manmohan said all outstanding issues could be resolved through peaceful dialogue. "We discussed all aspects of our relations - trade, Jammu and Kashmir - we are not afraid of word (Kashmir)".

Official sources told Business Recorder that President Zardari had conveyed to the Indian Prime Minister that Pakistan would approach the World Bank (WB) if India does not implement the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan is to seek compensation in the shape of water from Sutlej river or money to disburse it amongst the farmers whose crops have been damaged.

 

[pkpatriotic]

India blocks Chenab flow again
By Dilshad Azeem

ISLAMABAD: Despite Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to President Zardari, New Delhi has again stopped the flow of the Chenab River water to Pakistan to fill the Baglihar Dam on the occasion of its inauguration.

Sources told The News here on Saturday that India had blocked another 9,000 cusecs water, storing it in the Baglihar Dam. They said India had released just 10,739 cusecs at the Marala Head Works without giving any prior notice, which was in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty 1960.

In their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the Indian prime minister had assured President Zardari that New Delhi would not violate the treaty, but another violation has surfaced in less than a fortnight.

Since flows are reduced in the Chenab River, Pakistan received 19,351 cusecs on Thursday, which was reduced to just 10,739 cusecs on Saturday.

The Chenab water has been blocked despite the fact that the Indian authorities are going to allow an inspection of the Baglihar project and to also hold a meeting of the permanent Indus Waters Commission from October 18-24.

The three-member team of Pakistani officials will leave Pakistan on October 18 for an inspection and three more officials will join them in New Delhi for talks to take back the stored water in the Rabi season, Pakistani Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah told this correspondent.

The commissioner said the Pakistani team will talk to the Indian authorities on the violation of the treaty in reference with the Baglihar project. "Certainly, we have complaints for which we will do our best to get compensated," he said.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced to build four other projects on the pattern of the Baglihar project on the Chenab River and this would certainly be an eye opener for the Pakistani authorities.

At the same time, the sources within the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) confirmed the reduced water flows at the Marala Head Works.

He also informed The News about the drastic cut in water releases to the provinces from the Indus River.

This cut in the water flows will multiply the power crisis not only in the rural areas but also in the urban areas.

The Irsa officials said they had already informed the Wapda and the Pepco about the expected cut in water discharges from the Indus River, needed by the provinces for Rabi sowing. "We had warned them of this scenario in September so that they, Wapda and Pepco, could make their own arrangements for power supply," Irsa officials said.

Besides, water is being stored at Marala, Chashma and other such places from the major dams in order to utilise it for the Rabi season starting from October end.

“If we do not do so, we will have nothing to provide and there will be a devastating situation as the Rabi-sowing period begins,” he said.

From the Tarbela Dam, the Irsa has approved 30,000 cusecs reduction per day starting from Friday onwards. Its total flow was 55,000 cusecs on Saturday. “The Punjab has asked the Irsa to reduce water to its canals in order to store it and utilise it for Rabi sowing,” he added.

 

[Ali.009]

Yes, and because of this, Pakistan will face 30% reduction in wheat production next year, further increasing the food problem. Pak airforce should send its fighters and destroy all the dams illegally built by India. This should teach them a sound lesson, theres no other way to deal this issue.

 

[Desipride]

NEW DELHI: India will not block Chenab River water to Pakistan, Indian National Security Advisor MK Narayanan said in an interview aired on Sunday. Talking to NDTV, he said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari held ‘a very good’ meeting in New York last month. Noting that Chenab water was raised in the meeting, he said the Indian prime minister was clear on the matter that India would not block Chenab water. “India does not want a conflict on the issue,” he said. Narayanan said India wants to carry forward the peace process and does not want it to derail. Singh opened the first phase of the Baglihar Dam power project on the Chenab River on Friday, and said India had addressed Pakistan’s concerns. To a question, he said India would deal with whoever is in power in Pakistan. The Indian official said the Joint Anti-terrorism Mechanism had not ‘worked well’ so far but “at least both sides are listening to each other”. Referring to the recent bombings in India and the Orissa communal violence, he said Bajrang Dal is a dangerous organisation. “There is a need to deal with it effectively.”

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[doobie86]

Yes, and because of this, Pakistan will face 30% reduction in wheat production next year, further increasing the food problem. Pak airforce should send its fighters and destroy all the dams illegally built by India. This should teach them a sound lesson, theres no other way to deal this issue.

There is a better way, its called diplomacy. You think India will sit back and watch the PAF blow up a dam?

 

[DarkStar]

if you push us into a corner, if you try to starve us to death, we would fight rather than starve.

Water is our life line, and if you cut it, be sure that you will not find peace in the future.

 

[Desipride]

if you push us into a corner, if you try to starve us to death, we would fight rather than starve.
Water is our life line, and if you cut it, be sure that you will not find peace in the future.

During the rule of the British in India, millions died of starvation, were treated on par with dogs, do you know when violence took place? when the British left after plundering the land leaving Indians and Pakistanis masters of their destiny.

 

[DarkStar]

you seem to have forgotten our war of independance in 1857, and our fight for independance under the leadership of subhash chandra bhose.

As for the post partition violence, any one with a degree of familiarity with the history, would know that it occured because many muslims did not leave certain districts of Punjab, having been assured they would be part of Pakistan. places such as gurdaspur, ferozepur, filor, etc. A few days after partition, it was announced that these places were in fact India, and a wave of ethnic cleansing commenced, to drive the muslims out of the area, to clear the route to kashmir. The sole road to kashmir goes through district gurdaspur.

This ethnic cleansing then switched to both sides, as trains full of dead muslims started reaching the pakistani towns.

The indians and pakistanis were not masters of their destinies, but were unfortunate victims of the machinations of people like sardarji patel, jawaharlal nehru, mountabatten, etc.