NewsDecember 24 , 2016
Hostile India steps up efforts to utilise Pakistan's waters
NEW DELHI: A high-level meeting was held by senior Indian government officials on Friday, in a bid to utilise water from the rivers which had been provided to Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty.
According to Indian media, a high-level meeting chaired by the Principal Secretary of Indian Prime Minister, was held in which it was discussed as how to fast-track proposed hydro-power projects in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting also focused on improving the infrastructure which included building storage capacities which would tap water from the three western rivers, which are provided to Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty.
"Idea of the first meeting was to indicate India's intention to fully utilise the country's share of waters within the Treaty and bring the two states (Punjab and J&K) on board for speeding up the entire process," said an official. He said, "Both the states have been asked to get back as early as possible with their respective ground reports. Next meeting of the task force will be held in January," he added.
Besides the chief secretaries of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa and Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar also attended the task force meeting.
Islamabad is already unhappy with some of India's existing water projects.
It has asked the World Bank, which brokered the signing of the treaty between the two countries, for a court of arbitration to consider two Indian hydropower projects in the Indus basin, the report said.
In the past, disagreements between the two countries had been settled within the legal framework provided within the treaty. The World Bank’s role in the Indus Water Treaty is limited and strictly procedural.
In September, Modi also reviewed provisions of the treaty with Pakistan. He along with other government officials evaluated the pros and cons of the treaty.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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