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KUNAL SHRIVATSA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 22:The much publicized Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and Ravi river water sharing agreement with Punjab, which directly affect the economy of Jammu Kashmir, have been raked up time and again over the years but it seems solution to these contentious issues is not in sight going by the approach of the successive state governments.
The treaties, in question, were raised today by the leader of Panthers Legislature Party Hash Dev Singh during the discussion on the Demands of Grants for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control (PHE, I & FC) in the Lower House of the State Legislature.
He demanded compensation from Central government in lieu of losses by dint of Indus Water Treaty as well as review of Ravi Water Treaty with Punjab government to avail maximum benefits for the people of J&K.
"Our state is facing a very peculiar situation since two of the major water treaties concerning J&K are making a dent to the state exchequer." said Harsh Dev.
"Through Indus Water Treaty, losses to the tune of crores of rupees annually are being borne by J&K." he said adding that state government should raise the issue with Union government and ask for compensation for incurring huge amount of losses in the process.
Harsh Dev further said that non-implementation of Ravi Water treaty is equally damaging like Indus Water treaty rather more for the state in terms of losses as Punjab government took everything and denied rights safeguarded for J&K in the agreement signed thirty one years ago.
Harsh Dev said "It was our state which suffered more due to the construction of Ranjit Sagar Dam at Thein as about 65 percent of J&K's area submerged in water.
Despite assurances of Punjab government to provide 1200 cusec of water and 20 percent of power being generated from the dam, nothing has been given to us for more than three decades now."
He alleged that Punjab government has violated the treaty resulting into huge losses to the state.
Moreover, Harsh Dev informed that Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution in the year 2004 in which it was decided that Punjab will not share anything with any of the states including J&K, Haryana and Rajasthan.
"We are not concerned about what the other states are getting or not getting from Punjab government but our worry and focus should be to receive the state's due share from neighboring state of Punjab by raising the issue vociferously with concerned quarters including Punjab and Union governments", said Panthers Legislature Party leader
It is worthy to mention here that Indus Water Treaty is a water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan. The treaty was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960 by the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru and then President of Pakistan, Mohammad Ayub Khan. The World Bank (then the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) is a signatory as a third party.
According to official sources, IWT has deprived J&K to use its own water resources which has severely affected the economic development of the state. The state incurs losses estimated at Rs 6500 crore annually by the dint of Indus Water Treaty. There are losses in agricultural sector as well as in the generation of hydro-electric power which has otherwise an estimated potential of generating 20,000 MW, sources added
Even, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on March 18, while replying to the debate on the Demand of Grants for the departments falling under his charge admitted on the floor of the Lower House that it is a fact that the state is incurring losses due to Indus Water Treaty.
Omar informed the House that in this connection state government has approached a private agency to access the exact amount of losses so that the matter be taken up with the central government for compensation.
Where as, the Ravi Water Treaty was signed between J&K government and Punjab government about 31 years ago to share the volume of water and the amount of electricity generated through Ranjit Sagar Dam.
In the agreement between two states, it was proposed that a barrage will be constructed at Shahpur Kandi in Punjab so that the water is lifted and diverted towards Ravi-Tawi Canal in J&K but the barrage was never made and Punjab government backtracked from the treaty thus denying J&K, its due right. |
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