Early Times Report
Amritsar, Jan 9: Welcoming the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the agreement had caused long-term harm to the region and limited its rightful use of water resources.
Addressing a press conference here, CM Omar, according to the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said he had opposed the IWT from the very beginning. “The Indus Water Treaty has greatly harmed us. It is good that it has been suspended. Now measures must be taken so that we are able to use that water for ourselves,” he said.
Pertinently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in April 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 persons, mostly tourists dead.
The Chief Minister said the J&K government has already proposed two major projects to the Centre to utilise river waters effectively. One of them is the Tulbul Navigation Barrage, also known as the Jhelum Navigation Barrage. “With this project, the water level in Wular Lake will increase, which in turn will improve water flow in the Jhelum. This will enhance electricity generation and also make the river navigable,” he said.
He added that utilising Chenab river water for Jammu would end water scarcity in the region for the next 30 years. “Suspension of the IWT will also allow us to desilt our rivers, which was not possible earlier,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said Jammu and Kashmir had paid a heavy price under the treaty, while Punjab received rights over rivers flowing through its territory. “We faced the brunt of dams constructed in Punjab. Several areas in J&K were submerged, yet we never complained and maintained cordial relations with Punjab,” he said.
On the political changes after the abrogation of Article 370, the Chief Minister said while change had taken place, the claims made earlier had not been fulfilled. “We were told that removing Article 370 would end terrorism, unemployment and violence. All these claims proved to be a hoax,” he said.
Referring to the security situation, Omar Abdullah said last year began with the Pahalgam terror attack and ended with blasts in Delhi. “This clearly shows the difference between what was promised and what is actually happening,” he said.
He said the government made sincere efforts to revive tourism after the Pahalgam attack but ensured that the tragedy was not measured in financial terms. “Precious human lives were lost. Tourism figures should not be exaggerated, as it can turn tourists into targets,” he added, while noting that recent snowfall has improved tourist footfall.
Asked about speculations that Jammu may be granted separate statehood, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that Ladakh had already been “ruined” after being given Union Territory status and warned against repeating the same experiment. “If they want to ruin Jammu, they are free to do so,” he said.
He also acknowledged the drug problem in J&K, saying it exists and the government is fighting it firmly. “We share borders with the neighbouring country and every possible effort is being put to ensure that drugs don’t enter J&K. The government is also working hard to end drug abuse in the region.” |