India has halted water flow to Pakistan from the Baglihar dam on the Chenab river and is also getting ready to reduce outflows from the Kishanganga project on the Jhelum, enforcing its decision to prevent any “single drop” from reaching the neighboring nation from the Indus rivers.
Informing about closing the gates of Baglihar hydropower project, an official stated, “we have shut the gates of the Baglihar hydropower project. We completed the de-silting of the reservoir, and it needs to be refilled. The procedure began on Saturday.”
Pakistan had tested surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Saturday
India’s action occurred shortly after Pakistan tested its surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Saturday, which included prohibiting the docking of ships with the Pakistani flag at all national ports.
The Kishanganga dam, the first large-scale hydropower facility situated in the northwestern Himalayas within the Gurez valley, will soon experience significant maintenance work, resulting in a complete stoppage of all downstream flow. Pakistan has raised concerns regarding the plans for both of these dams.
India suspended the Indus water treaty with Pakistan, which has been in place for sixty years and already facing tensions due to ongoing conflicts, just a day after terrorists killed numerous tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.
Measures taken to enhance water supply to northern states from Indus system rivers
On Saturday, officials from the Jal Shakti ministry informed the Union home ministry about various strategies being developed to enhance water supply to northern states from the Indus system rivers. “We have prepared strict punitive actions against Pakistan, and almost 50 engineers from the NHPC are currently in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir to supervise the operations.”
In this context, he stated that India has consistently advanced on four current hydel power initiatives along the Chenab river and its tributaries in Jammu and Kashmir, with a potential commissioning in 2027-28.
These projects– Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Kiru (624 MW), Kwar (540 MW), and Ratle (850 MW) — are being executed through a collaboration between NHPC and the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC).
On May 19, 2018, February 3, 2019, and April 22, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones for the Pakal Dul, Kiru, and Kwar hydropower projects, respectively.
