Indus hydropower projects being built despite Pak objections, LS told

New Delhi, March 29

Five Indian hydropower projects being built on tributaries of the Indus, over which Pakistan has raised objections, are at various stages of implementation in the Indus river basin, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for External Affairs Singh V K Singh made a statement in this connection, days after media in Pakistan claimed that India had agreed to halt work on Miyar Nallah during Permanent Indus Commission's meeting held in Lahore earlier this month.

"...projects such as Miyar Nallah, Lower Kalnai, Pakal Dul, Kishenganga and Ratle are at different stages of implementation," Singh told the Lower House.

Work on two other hydroelectricity projects - Bhakra Nangal (on Sutlej river) and Pong Dam (Beas river) has been successfully executed, he added.

The minister reiterated Centre's position that it remains committed to fully utilise water of rivers in the basin, both eastern (Beas, Ravi and Sutlej) and western (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab), in accordance with the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960.

Pakistan has been flagging concerns over designs of Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Ratle (850 MW), Kishenganga (330 MW), Miyar (120 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW), contending these violate the treaty.

India though has maintained that the designs of the projects do not violate the water distribution pact.

Pakal Dul, Ratle, Kishenganga and Lower Kalnai are being built in Jammu and Kashmir while Miyar Nallah is being constructed on a tributary of Chenab in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district. — PTI