India blocks water flow through Baglihar dam on Chenab amid tension
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Srinagar: India has briefly suspended water flow through the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River, giving what one report said a ‘clear warning sign’ for Pakistan.
The move comes amid escalating tension after terror attack in Pahalgam with the report by NDTV further saying that the Centre is planning similar step to cut water flow through the Kishanganga Dam.
The Baglihar dam, built in line with the Indus Waters Treaty, has to release water at some point as it can hold only a limited volume of water, hence the move is dubbed ‘temporary’, according to the report.
The water treaty allows Pakistan an unrestricted use of the water from the Chenab while India can only use the water for agriculture, hydroelectric power generation alongside other non-consumptive purposes.
The Baglihar project, which is a run-of-the-river power project meaning it allows little or no water storage, currently generates 900 MW of hydroelectricity with its first phase having completed in 2008 and the second in 2015.
The Kishanganga project, also a run-of-the-river project located in Bandipore, has a 330 MW capacity.
However, Pakistan objected to both these projects alleging their designs and parameters violated the water treaty alongside claiming that Baglihar dam's parameters favoured a strategic advantage to India during conflict.
After talks failed to arrive at an agreement on Baglihar, Pakistan approached the treaty’s other signatory, the World Bank, raising its objections.
While upholding some of Pakistan’s objections, the expert appointed by the World Bank rejected its concerns on the dam's height and gated control of the spillway.
As with the Kishanganga project, Pakistan also raised objections saying that India was not allowed to divert water from one tributary to another.
However, when it approached the World Bank again, a court of Arbitration ruled in favour of India.
Responding to India’s move to suspend Indus Water Treaty, Pakistan earlier said that any such move would be considered as an act of war.
