The annual Permanent Indus Commission meeting was recently held between India and Pakistan wherein the Indus Commissioners of the two countries met. During the meeting, Pakistan has raised objections against the designs of Lower Kalnai and Pakal Dul hydropower plants in Jammu and Kashmir.
Key Points
- Pakistan has objected to the designs of the hydropower plants and has asked for information on the projects in Ladakh sanctioned after the abrogation of Article 370.
- India has justified its stand on the designs and has said that there is nothing wrong with the designs.
- The Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project (1,000 MW) is proposed on the Marusudar River in the Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Marusudar River is a tributary of the Chenab river.
- The Lower Kalnai project is proposed in Kishtwar and Doda districts.
- Along with this, the Indus Commissioners from both sides discussed various other issues under the Indus Waters Treaty during the meeting.
- The two-day meeting which commenced on March 24 is taking place after a gap of over two years. The last meeting was held in Lahore in August 2018.
- Indus Commissioner Syed Muhammad Meher Ali Shah led the Pakistani delegation which reached New Delhi on March 23.
- The Indian delegation was led by PK Saxena, India’s Indus Commissioner, and his team from the Central Water Commission, the Central Electricity Authority, and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation.
- This is the first meeting between the two commissioners after the nullification of the provisions of Article 370.
- In 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was also bifurcated into union territoriesLadakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
- India has since approved several hydropower projects for the region. Some of these are- Shankoo (18.5 MW), Durbuk Shyok (19 MW), Rongdo (12 MW), Nimu Chilling (24 MW), Ratan Nag (10.5 MW) are in Leh; and Kargil Hunderman (25 MW), Mangdum Sangra (19 MW), and Tamasha (12 MW) are Kargil. Both Leh and Kargil fall in Ladakh.
As per the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the commissioners from both countries must meet at least once a year, alternately in Pakistan and India.