Pakistan’s Indus Water Commission will raise hydropower projects based on the Chenab River by India during the commissioners’ annual gathering on March 23-24.
Annual meeting after two years gap
This will be the first gathering of Indus Commissioners after a massive gap of over two years. The last conference was held in Lahore in August 2018.
According to the report, this will the annual gathering of the Permanent Indus Commission. Under the Indus Water Treaty provisions, both the commissioners need to meet in any event every year, alternately in India and Pakistan.
PCIW Syed Muhammad Mehr Ali Shah will head the Pakistani delegation, which incorporates representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Meteorology, Attorney General’s Office, Irrigation Department, and WAPDA. In contrast, PK Saxena will drive the Indian side.
Eastern & western rivers of India Pakistan
Under the plan of the Indus Waters Treaty, they were signed among India and Pakistan in 1960. All waters of the eastern waterways, the Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej adding up to around 33 million land-foot sections annually, are allotted to India for unlimited use. The waters of western streams Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus are adding up to about 135 MAF per year to a great extent for Pakistan.
Discussion on various projects
Pakistan has effectively mentioned issues regarding the plan of challenging projects of 1000 MW Pakkal Dal and 48 MW Lower Kalnai which will discuss during the two-day meeting between Indus Commissioners. Besides, two more water projects, Darbuk and Nemochaling, will likewise go under conversation.
India has broken the Indus Basin Agreement in giving flood information for 2 years. Pakistan needs everyday flood information from July 1 to October 10. This issue will also be talked about with New Delhi.
The last year’s gathering, which was prior planned to be held in New Delhi in March 2020, was dropped considering the coronavirus outbreak.
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