New Delhi. After the Pahalgam terror attack, India has tightened its stand on Pakistan. An example of this is to suspend the Indus Water Treaty. Now the effect of suspension has started appearing, in which India has stopped the water of Chenab. The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has declared a 21 percent reduction for the initial kharif season with this move. At the same time, there is a possibility of 7 percent decrease in Kharif.
Muhammad Khalid Idris Rana, a spokesman of the Indus River System Authority of Pakistan, told Bloomberg that India has reduced the amount of normal water given to Pakistan by about 90%. He said that if the decrease in the flow continues, Islamabad will have to reduce the fifth part of the water supply in the fields.
Rana described it as unprecedented and said that India usually keeps some water daily for electricity generation, but leaves it every few hours.
Salal, Bagihar Dam’s gate closed
Indian officials have closed all the gates of the Bagihar Hydroelectric Power Project Dam on the Chenab river. All the gates of Salal Dam on the river are also closed. However, to ensure that there is no significant impact on the waterchers, water is being released from only one gate of Salal and Balghar dams.
The Indus river system includes Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, whose right to use was divided between India and Pakistan through the 1960 Treaty. Pakistan is dependent on the river system for irrigation.
The advisory panel of the Indus River System Authority of Pakistan (IRSA) expressed deep concern over the sudden decrease in the Chenab river flow in Marla on Monday. It said that this step of India will lead to a shortage of water in the initial weather of Kharif.
The Indus River System Authority Advisory Committee (IAC) reviewed the situation of water for the remaining months of the season “beginner kharif” (May – 10 June) and late Kharif (11 June). The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) said in a statement that it was unanimously noticed that there would be a more decrease in the early kharif weather as a result of a sudden decrease in Chenab river flow in Marala due to low supply by India.
The IAC declared a total reduction of 21 percent for the remaining initial kharif season in the event of normal supply in Chenab River. However, the situation will be monitored daily and if there is a shortage in the “Chenab River”, the deficiency will be reviewed again. Late kharif shortage is expected to be 7 percent.