| India Spars with Pakistan, China over Water |
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| Written by Siddharth Srivastava | |
| Tuesday, 19 January 2010 | |
 Chenab River Kashmir has for decades been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan over which the two countries have fought wars. Now, with both sides desperate for more water from population and industrialization pressures, hydroelectric projects on either side of the 550 km Line of Control are putting added pressure on an already volatile situation. While India has been protesting the hydro projects being built in what it calls "illegally occupied territory," Pakistan fears floods or drought in its low-lying areas due to blocking of river systems including the massive Indus and its tributaries, which have immense potential to generate hydroelectricity. Water tension between the two countries is at least 50 years old. The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, signed by then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Mohammad Ayub Kahn with the World Bank a third signatory, sought to solve the disputes. The treaty was a considerable diplomatic achievement considering that the two countries were on the verge of war over Kashmir. Under the agreement, the two share the enormous Indus water system and its series of tributaries, with Pakistan gaining exclusive use of the Jhelum and the Chenab, which flow west. India was granted use of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, which flow east. According to the treaty, only one dam could be built in the Jammu and Kashmir Valley. Nonetheless both have begun construction, with India's National Hydroelectric Power Company building a 330-megawatt dam, the Kishinganga project, on the Jhelum River in the Gurez Valley, which was allotted to Pakistan under the 1960 treaty. India is about two-thirds of the way finished with the dam, with completion expected in 2016. India is also building the 450-megawatt Baglihar hydro electric project on the Chenab River, which flows from Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan. On Oct. 7, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Jammu and Kashmir to launch the project. Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority has begun construction on its own project, the Neelum-Jehlum project 70 km away. Although Pakistan's project began later, with completion expected in 2017, it has hired two Chinese companies, China International Water and Electric Engineering (CWE) and the CGGC-CMEC Consortium, in an attempt to speed up progress and finish it before India finishes the Kishinganga project. The MoU was reportedly signed in August during Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's Beijing visit. Pakistan has approached the World Bank to request appointment of a neutral expert to resolve the dispute if bilateral efforts fail, as stipulated in the Indus Water Treaty. Given rising tensions across a number of fronts including dominion of the far eastern Arunachal Pradesh state, which China calls Southern Tibet, Delhi is concerned about China's deepening role in Pakistan's hydro projects in particular and infrastructure projects in general. Last year the Chinese government blocked a US$60 million Asian Development Bank loan to India for flood management, water supply and sanitation in the Arunachal Pradesh area. India's foreign ministry has said that China has been informed of New Delhi's apprehensions and has asked Beijing to consider the long term view of Indian-Chinese relations and cease activities in Pakistan Kashmir. China, however, has persisted with its plans, couching its words in diplomatic niceties. The Chinese foreign ministry has been quoted as saying: "The Kashmir issue is a matter left over from history. It should be settled properly through dialogue and consultation between India and Pakistan, and China's position has been consistent." The Chinese have considerable experience in building dams due to massive developments such as the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River. India fears that the involvement of efficient Chinese companies will extend to other spheres such as better roads and connectivity, which could offer a military advantage to Pakistan, such as rapid troop movements. China's presence in the region has become a touchy issue with India, whether it is winning energy blocks in Myanmar, looking at gas in Bangladesh or setting up ports and naval bases in Sri Lanka, Myanmar or Pakistan and buttressing its navy to patrol the waters of the Indian Ocean. Apart from hydro, Pakistani and Chinese companies have signed many agreements in thermal and renewable energy projects, highways, irrigation and fisheries and mobile networks. China is closely involved with Pakistan's missile and nuclear program as well. Late last year, India also reacted strongly to reports that the Chinese are building a dam over the Brahmaputra River, or the Tsangpo as it is called in the 1,700 km Chinese stretch. The reports have touted it as the world's largest dam, with 26 turbines. The Tsangpo Canyon is believed to be the deepest in the world and is about 150 km long before the river enters Arunachal Pradesh and eventually becomes the Brahmaputra. As with the rest of the gigantic water system that serves both countries, the Brahmaputra is the lifeline of the Northeastern states of India, West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Tibetan plateau gives rise to the biggest river system by far in the world. Water from the region flows to 11 different countries via 10 major rivers, bringing fresh water to as much as 50 percent of the world's population. Though China has denied any such plans as "unnecessary, unfeasible and unscientific," and completely lacking government backing, New Delhi is not taking chances and has said that it would like to verify the claims independently. There was a possibility that Pakistan and India could be more accommodating to each other's requirements, but the suspicions post the November Mumbai terror strikes in 2008 have spoilt any such scenario. In the poisonous atmosphere between India and Pakistan, Kashmir has become a convenient arena for finger pointing and gaining points in the eyes of the western world. Pakistan has been playing up alleged "human rights violations by security forces" in Indian Kashmir in foreign forums for long to gain the sympathy of America and the military and civilian aid that follows. A bit of the jihadi terror against India has been fuelled by such assertions. India, which has in the past defended its position in Kashmir, including holding of free and fair elections, has opted for a more aggressive posture in the recent past, highlighting the lack of basic development, absence of democratic rights in Pakistan Kashmir and the proliferation of terrorist training hideouts in the region. The option of hot pursuit or Indian troops taking out terror dugouts in Pakistan Kashmir was hotly debated in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks. The people of Kashmir, on both sides, meanwhile continue to be caught in the cross fire even as the fear of terror and violence has decimated the once thriving tourism sector in Indian Kashmir. Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This story has been corrected to agree with a reader's point over the Baglihar water project. Comments
(9)
 written by PAKISTANI , February 02, 2010
I have read the comments of Anand. They are totally baseless and people like Anand are responsible for worsening relations between two countries. He must study the 1960 treaty only then he will come to know that it is India how is pilfridging the waters of Pakistan. As for as he has called us terrorists , he must not ignore the reality that we are the front line ally of America against war on terror. it is India ho is spreading terrorist activities in collaboration with Mossad in Pakistan. Mr Anand keep your house in order first. do you know the entire red corridor and related stories. so think before you speak.
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written by Samir Shah , January 29, 2010
Amazing that someone can do such poor research. I am hardly an expert on these matters, but the timelines are all completely off. The Baglighar dam is an Indian one, not a pakistani one, as the article mentions somewhere. It is already in operation. The pakistan govt. has not approached the world bank for nuetral arbritration. It has approached, and the arbitrator made an award in India's favor, because the Baglighar Dam is a run of the river project, which does not store water, as required by the treaty.
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Nice alarmist headline to get published in some silly international paper. report abuse
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written by Mamakthir , January 28, 2010
2.75 Billion to become the world biggest country is becoming a reality. But what is more urgently needed is to increase the IQ of the politicians and general populace who are ranked among the lowest in Asia.
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Pakistan has joined forces with China. India has joined forces with Russia. United Staes wanted to join with India but India has distrust with the US and so has kept them at arms length. This fight over water has become a show of arms, and a race for power. It is never right to with hold water from even your worst enemies. Water is Essential to the human race. We have a saying in America Food grows where water flows. Compromise together Pakistan has been through a lot they might be willing to make a deal.
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written by Mamakthir , January 21, 2010
2.75 Billions that is planned for India population may soon die of thirst without some charity from Pakistan and China.
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written by Anand , January 20, 2010
Water wars are a reality now and should not be overlooked. India must fight for her right to use water from the Himalayas. The Himalaya has been sacred for centuries to Hindus. Niether the Chinese nor the Pakistani terrorists have any right to claim it. Those agents of Pakistan in kashmir who shout for freedom should look over their shoulder into the destruction of regional ethos and culture in POK and in Tibet. They should be greatful of being born in India which tolerates them and feeds them. They hate to discuss how many disappeared in POK and in Tibet. Thier ungreatful acts will only destroy them in future. There is still time to reform and join the Indian mainstream which is the middle class.
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written by Shah , January 20, 2010
Democratise Kashmir. Let us have a referendum in Kashmir. Freedom from India. Free choice please. Let the people decide.
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If India says that the river streams are fIowing wid Iesser water, then why the f**k the Pakistanis din confirm this when their foreign minister was invited for the inspection and why doesnt any foreign body or a worId renowned body confirm this fact first before cooking up war recipes?