Last Updated:
After the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, India is now expected to expedite the revival of its stalled hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
Indus waters treaty suspended: What’s next on agenda? (PTI File Image)
India is intensifying non-military action against Pakistan – the biggest of which has been the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Islamabad. New Delhi is now expected to take major strides in completing the stalled hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.
In this process, a key meeting is likely to be held this week, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with Water Resources Minister CR Patil, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and senior officials from all related ministries.
Ever since the suspension of the IWT on April 23, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, two meetings have already taken place between Amit Shah, CR Patil, and top officials of the ministry, sources said.
With eyes on how to accelerate the stalled hydroelectric projects in J&K, these projects are expected to gain momentum.
Work is expected to speed up on six hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir:
- Sawalkot Project (1,856 MW) – proposed on the Chenab River in the Ramban and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir
- Dul (1,000 MW)
- Ratle (850 MW)
- Bursar (800 MW)
- Kiru (624 MW)
- Kirthai I and II (Total 1,320 MW)
Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India was required to give six months’ notice to Pakistan before starting any new project. Now, with the suspension of the treaty, this is no longer necessary, and data sharing will also cease.
It is now possible to initiate new projects on the Chenab and Jhelum Rivers and to revive Wular Lake. The treaty was earlier a hurdle in doing so.
With the completion of these hydroelectric projects, Jammu and Kashmir could generate up to 10,000 megawatts of electricity. Besides, the availability of water for irrigation and drinking in the plains could increase significantly, according to sources.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Saturday, also discussed the same issue in the meeting, sources added.
According to the sources in the government, the Centre is working on a three-layered plan in terms of the Indus Waters Treaty – long-term, midterm, and short-term plans. The revival of the power projects is a part of the short-term plan.
- First Published:
Source link
[ad_3]
