Qammer Abbass Anka
Part-II
With lower riparian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, India is constructing more and more number of dams on cross-border rivers inside its own territory. India, while exploiting and manipulating various treaties is also creating hindrance in construction of genuinely required dams in these countries. The Indo-Pak dispute on the Indus basin has drawn immense attention in South Asia and across the world, largely due to the nature of the tense relationship between the two countries. There is growing feeling in Pakistan that while India is increasingly building dams on its western rivers, it is simultaneously engaged in activities aimed at stopping Pakistan, the lower riparian, from building storage dams on Pakistani rivers.
Water from the Indus Basin provides life to Pakistan. The land Irrigated by water of Indus Basin provides some 90 percent of wheat and small grains, and nearly 100 percent of sugarcane, rice, cotton, fruits, and vegetables. It also provides milk, meat, and fuel-wood in addition to crops. Owing to the serious nature of Trans-boundary water disputes between India and Pakistan World Bank facilitated signing of Indus Water Treaty in 1960. As per the Treaty, three Western rivers (the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) were allocated to Pakistan whereas; India was given three Eastern rivers (Ravi, Sutlej and Beas). Honorary vice-president of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), Asif H Kazi in his column titled “Misusing the Indus Treaty” argues that “Pakistan’s farmlands have been deprived of the use of the waters of three eastern rivers, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. The flow of these rivers was allocated to India under 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Authorities on the subject accept that when rivers and canals in Pakistan’s demarcated area were classified as Pakistan’s assets under the Partition Act, 1947, it meant only one thing, these rivers and canals were to continue to receive water in the same way as before”. Although, the treaty managed to forestall potential conflicts between both countries in the early stages, it is unable to resolve new water issues. The treaty can not provide legal and workable frame work for emerging issues like need for new storage reservoirs, impact of changes in economic and environmental conditions, overall depletion of existing water resources and inherent flaws in the treaty itself.
Apart from water piracy from across the border, Pakistan loses significant amount of water due to inadequacy of storage facilities. No major dam has been constructed on Indus river since 1976 after Tarbela Dam. Dirty regional politics has been hindering construction of Kalabagh Dam and no breakthrough is expected in near future. After substantial delay, spade work for Diamer-Bhasha Dam has been recently initiated. Moreover, ex-commissioner, Indus Water Commission, Mr. Jamaat Ali Shah has inflicted severe damage to Pakistani cause and efforts on Indus Water Treaty.
India has launched run-of-the-river dams programme on Western rivers for hydropower required “pondage” which will give India a capability to hold water and release it at her will. The situation is becoming alarming for Pakistan as this type of control would destabilize its water supplies, particularly during hostilities or dry years. Indian plans consist of construction big and small dams on Indus, Jhelum, Chenab and their tributary rivers. Some of these projects include 45MW ‘Nimoo Bazgo’ project, 130MW ‘Dumkhar’ project and ‘Chutak’ on River Suru – a major tributary of the Indus River – in Kargil district.
Of late, Indian ruling party, BJP has floated the idea to abrogate Indus Basin Treaty. A recent RAW sponsored book titled “Water Security for India – The External Dynamics” has been published by Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) on the subject.
Pakistan’s concerns are genuine as water storage in hydropower projects (i.e., Salal and Baghliar dams) are interrupting flow of Chenab River into Pakistan. The issue of Baghliar Dam was referred to the World Bank in January 2005. India launched another controversial plan Kishan Ganga Storage-cum-Hydroelectric Power Project on River Neelum/Jehlum exploiting the verdict by a neutral expert on Baghliar dam issued in February 2007. Pakistan’s objection to Kishan Ganga is that it involves diverting the water of Neelum River through a 21 kms long tunnel towards the Wullar Lake to generate 330 MW power against the framework of Indus Water Treaty. Resultantly, the recipient tributary ultimately enters into upstream of the Wullar Lake. This arrangement changes the patterns of the flows of both Kishen Ganga and Jhelum Rivers.
IWT though served to resolve Indo Pak water disputes to quite an extent. However, with the passage of time and emerging of new issues, the treaty seems out dated. IWT has many ambiguities which need deliberations and arbitration. It does not cover trans-boundary groundwater extraction, and remains silent on environmental issues and their effects on Pakistan’s access and rights to the rivers including the downstream environmental-flows (E-flows) for the eastern rivers. Moreover, IWT is not elaborate on how India would share the burden of water shortages during dry periods when water availability decreases in Western rivers. Keeping in mind India’s hegemonic and non flexible attitude on IWT, review or revisit to the said treaty will not bear any favourable outcomes.
W.H. Auden has rightly said, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water”. Water is the lifeline for any country and its importance can not be overemphasized. Our national leadership, politicians and intellectuals while understanding this fact should develop census on this important national issue. They should think as Pakistani and avoid playing regional politics on issue of making new dams and water reservoirs. We have a very shroud and venomous enemy, India which is adamant to harm Pakistan through every possible means including the weapon of water denial. India intends to complete its water denial plan against Pakistan as soon as possible, after which Pakistan will be deprived of its legitimate share of water. Consequently, God forbids, condition will become worse than Somalia and Ethiopia. According to William Marks, “Humanity’s management of water will determine whether economies survive or fail, which people live or die and which ecosystems survive”.
