India has resumed work on the controversial Kishanganga hydropower project and has taken up four other mega projects of about 3,900MW on Chenab and Jhelum rivers in occupied Kashmir that can result in major water shortages in Pakistan.
According to a progress report prepared by the Indian government and the administration of occupied Kashmir after a January 10 meeting, seven major water and electricity projects are being executed in the occupied state, besides nine road and infrastructure projects.
According to private news channel quoting sources, Pakistan has not been informed about some of the major projects although India is required under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty to inform it about a project six months before its launch.
The Indian government's project update revealed that about 33 billion rupees sanctioned for the 330MW Kishanganga project on Jhelum river in January last year had been increased to Rs 37 billion. "Work has restarted after settlement of outstanding issues. The project is expected to be completed by January 2016."
Indian government has handed over the security of the five projects to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) a specialised division of the Indian armed forces that provides security cover to the country's missions abroad and UN peacekeeping operations, besides private and co-operative establishments in the country. The CISF has more than 130,000 personnel to provide security in highly sensitive areas and regions.
Pakistan has been opposing the project for more than a decade as it could stop water flows into Jhelum river. Bilateral talks have so far failed to yield any result to Pakistan's satisfaction. But the most crucial and the biggest is the Sawalkot project with a capacity of 1,200MW.
Another is the 1,000MW Pakul Dul project for which Rs 51 billion has been allocated and the executing agencies are awaiting forest clearance of 311 hectares and security arrangements to start construction. The 240MW Uri-II project on Jhelum river was allocated Rs 18 billion, of which Rs 8 billion has been spent with 51 per cent physical progress. The project is expected to be completed in February next year.
Work on the 1,020MW Busrar multi-purpose project on the Chenab has been stalled because of inadequate security. Despite Pakistan's objections, the Indian government has been successful in completing Bagilhar Dam, having a 474m height and water pondage capacity of 37.5 million cubic metres.
Indian documents reveal that the Sawalkot Dam project on Chenab in occupied Kashmir has 646-foot height, which is more than the 485-foot height of Tarbela and 453-foot of Mangla. The project is also higher than the Bagilhar Dam and has 13 times more water capacity. Work on the $2 billion dam is in full swing and is monitored by the Indian home ministry, because of the law and order situation in occupied Kashmir.
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