IWT put on hold: Government clears another Chenab hydel project; follows Sawalkot nod

NEW DELHI: Paving the mode for the operation of a task of strategical value pursuing suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a sheet of the situation ministry has approved the 260 MW Dulhasti State-II hydropower task connected the Chenab stream successful Kishtwar territory of Jammu & Kashmir.It comes 2 months aft a akin support was granted for operation of the 1,856-MW Sawalkot hydroelectric task connected the aforesaid stream successful Ramban territory of the UT. Approvals to the task came from the adept appraisal committee of the ministry connected hydel projects.Both these projects volition harness the imaginable of the Chenab - 1 of the occidental rivers on with Indus and Jhelum whose waters presently travel unchecked to Pakistan contempt India's close to usage it for non-consumptive purposes, including hydro-power generation.Estimated to outgo Rs 3,200 crore, Dulhasti State-II is an hold of 390 MW Dulhasti State-I, which has been successfully operating since 2007. Under the plan, h2o volition beryllium diverted from Stage-I done a abstracted tunnel.The task volition necessitate implicit 8 hectares of backstage onshore to beryllium acquired from 2 villages, Benzwar and Palmer, successful Kishtwar district.So far, lone 3,482 MW capableness of hydro-power procreation units has been constructed by India retired of an estimated imaginable of astir 20,000 MW successful Jammu & Kashmir which could beryllium harnessed from powerfulness projects connected its occidental rivers.

IWT was signed betwixt India and Pakistan for sharing of waters of the Indus Basin. Under the treaty, signed successful 1960 with the mediation of World Bank, the full waters of the eastbound rivers - Sutlej, Beas and Ravi - was allocated to India for unrestricted usage portion the waters of occidental rivers - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - was allocated mostly to Pakistan. India has, however, not been afloat utilising its ineligible stock owed to deficiency of retention capacity.