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| Tawi barrage controversy | | Indian, Pakistani officials visiting Jammu on Feb 20 | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Feb 17: A three member delegation of Indus Water Commission experts from Pakistan be will arriving in Jammu on February 20 to have on spot visit of Tawi barrage to asses the designs of the proposed project.
It merits a mention that Pakistan has raised objections under the provisions of Indus Water Treaty signed between the two countries in 1960 for water sharing. The officials will be arriving in New-Delhi on 19th February and will leave for Jammu on 20th of the same month. The Pakistani officials will visit Jammu to asses the designs of the project that has become yet another contentious issue between the two countries. Indian experts are likely to arrive in Jammu on 19th of this month to discuss the modus-operandi with the state government in regard to the defensive mechanism evolved by the state government to defend the designing of the ambitious project.
Meanwhile the state government has made full preparations to defend the ambitious Tawi barrage project (first-ever artificial lake in Jammu and Kashmir). In an exclusive interview with this correspondent Minister for Irrigation, PHE and Flood Control, Taj Mohiudin said the government has made all preparations to defend the designing of the project which according to him is in no way violating the provisions of the historical treaty arrived upon between the two countries in early sixties.
"All the hydraulic Chief Engineers from both Jammu and Kashmir have been directed to be present in Jammu during the three -day visit of the delegation to Jammu which starts on February 20 and concludes on February 23" Taj said.
Defending the dream project-the first of its kind being developed on Tawi river - Taj said that the barrage, being developed with the twin purposes of augmentation of the irrigation network in Jammu and its peripheries and adding to the attraction of the temple city never violates the treaty and it was unfortunate that the project was mired in controversy after Pakistan raised objections that it would violate the sharing of river waters agreed upon in the Indus Water Treaty between the two countries.
The minister added that the team will also visit Ravi Canal Head Work, Partap Canal Headwork, Munabrar Tawi and the Salal Hydroelectric Power Project in Reasi.
Taj was, however confident that the state government will successfully defend the designing of the projects as the experts have devised a strong defensive against the objections which the Pakistani panel is likely to raise during its visit.
The main objection of Pakistan is based on the argument that since Tawi is a tributary of river Chenab, which is one of the three major rivers coming in the ambit of the Treaty ---the other two being Jhelum and Indus--- the usage of its waters is also covered under the treaty.
"We have nothing to hide and the lake is being developed as per the provisions of the Treaty. Let the team come and examine the lake project," Taj remarked.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 110 crore and the government has set 24-month deadline for the completion of the project.
The IWT is a water-sharing treaty between the India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank in September 1960 signed in Karachi by Indian Premier Pandit Jawaher Lal Nehru and President of Pakistan Muhammad Ayub Khan.
The treaty gives powers to Pakistan to monitor the water usage of the three rivers from Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan while India monitors three rivers--Ravi, Sutlej and Beas - flowing from Punjab into Pakistan.
The artificial lake project was taken up last year, though it was conceived way back in the 1970s. It was aimed to add to the beauty of Jammu city.
On November 6, 2010, the state government had started work on this prestigious project for attracting tourists and augmenting water for irrigation purpose in parts of district Jammu but it received a letter regarding the visit of the Pakistani team last month. |
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