New Delhi - Saba:
Indian authorities have temporarily halted the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River on the border with Pakistan.
The Press Trust of India reported on Sunday, citing a source, that the Indian government plans to take similar action regarding the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River.
An expert familiar with the matter told the agency that the hydroelectric power plants located there—Baglihar in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kishanganga in northern Kashmir—give India the ability to regulate the timing of water release.
It is worth noting that the use of the Baglihar and Kishanganga dams has been a long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan.
Islamabad had previously approached the World Bank to request arbitration regarding the first dam.
The second dam has been the subject of legal and diplomatic scrutiny due to its impact on the Neelum River on Pakistani territory.
Previously, India and Pakistan were subject to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty regarding the distribution of water resources. Under the agreement, Islamabad gained control of the Indus River itself and its tributaries, the Chenab and Jhelum, which originate in Indian territory. However, India, under the agreement, can use their waters to irrigate nearby fields and meet the needs of the population of the surrounding areas.
New Delhi gained full control of the Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers. Under this agreement, New Delhi and Islamabad agreed to exchange data, and for this purpose, the Permanent Indus River Commission was established.
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