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Introduction
In 1960, India and Pakistan entered into a treaty for the sharing of water from the rivers within the Indus drainage system, mediated by the World Bank, commonly referred to as the Indus Waters Treaty.
According to this treaty, Pakistan was allocated a favorable share of the waters from the six rivers of the Indus system. India was assigned the waters of the Sutlej, the Beas, and the Ravi – the three less voluminous eastern tributaries of the Indus, while the more voluminous rivers, including the Indus itself and its western tributaries, the Jhelum and Chenab, were allocated to Pakistan.
India’s Utilization of Ravi River Waters
India has effectively halted the flow of the Ravi River into Pakistan through the construction of a newly-built barrage, enabling the country to optimize the water resource for the benefit of local farmers. The completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage marks a significant milestone, allowing India to retain 1150 cusecs of water that was previously earmarked for Pakistan.
Utilization of Diverted Water
The area is set to receive a minimum of 1,150 cusecs of water previously designated for Pakistan, which will now be utilized for irrigation, benefiting over 32,000 hectares of land in the Kathua and Samba districts. Situated in the Pathankot district of Punjab, India, the Shahpur Kandi Barrage serves as a dam on the Ravi River.
This development enables Jammu and Kashmir to access 20% of the hydel power generated from the dam, while also providing water benefits to regions in Punjab and Rajasthan.
As reported by NDTV, the Shahpur Kandi Dam, towering at 55.5 meters, forms part of a multi-purpose river valley project that includes two hydel power projects boasting a combined installed capacity of 206 MW. Strategically located on the Ravi River, the dam sits 11 km downstream of the Ranjit Sagar Dam Project.
Benefits of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage
The newly-constructed barrage will enable India to fully exploit its allocated water resources, redirecting previously allocated resources from the old Lakhanpur dam towards Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project Timeline
Initiated in 1995 by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project faced a suspension of over four and a half years due to disputes between the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. However, in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to optimize water resources from the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers for Indian farmers during a rally, emphasizing India’s rightful ownership of these waters and the need to prevent their loss to Pakistan.
Brief History
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the highest priority to the Shahpur-Kandi dam project as it had the potential to irrigate thousands of acres of agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir, stated Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
On September 8, 2018, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab had signed an agreement to resume work on the Shahpur-Kandi dam project, which had been on hold for the last 40 years.
He also mentioned that Basohli was to be developed as a ‘heritage town’ and ‘aroma start-up destination’ in the coming years.
“Basohli had been neglected by previous governments. Therefore, a development deficit was still evident in the Kandi area. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, the priority was to bring the neglected areas into the development mainstream to eliminate the development-deficit syndrome,” he stated.
Reiterating Modi’s vision to create a “Viksit Bharat & Viksit Jammu and Kashmir”, the minister highlighted that the government had been focused on the poor, farmers, youth, and women empowerment.
Statistics of water usage
Estimates suggested that this distribution of river waters granted India approximately 20 percent, or about 3.3 crore out of 16.8 crore acre-feet of water within the Indus system. At that time, India utilized just over 90 percent of its allocated quota of Indus waters.
Within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), there were calls for the government to initiate new projects to utilize India’s entire entitlement. During the first term of the Modi government, steps were taken in this direction.
Terrorist attacks led to the trigger point
Following the Uri terror attack in September 2016, Prime Minister Modi chaired a high-level meeting attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the then-foreign secretary S. Jaishankar, who currently serves as the external affairs minister. During this meeting, officials ruled out the possibility of reneging on the Indus Waters Treaty but expressed the government’s intention to fully utilize Indus waters.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari in February 2019 following the Pulwama terror attack. Gadkari questioned the rationale behind allowing Pakistan to use India’s water quota despite the country’s continued export of terrorism to India.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India has the option of somewhat restricting the flow of Indus waters without violating the agreement, demonstrating India’s commitment to the international community.
India can construct run-of-river dams on the Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus rivers without impeding their flow, as a means of meeting the electricity and irrigation needs of Jammu and Kashmir.
The treaty allows India to develop 13.4 lakh acres of irrigation in Jammu and Kashmir, yet only 6,42,477 acres of land have been irrigated in the state thus far. Additionally, India is permitted to store 3.60 million-acre-feet (maf) of water from the western rivers, including the Jhelum, Indus, and Chenab, yet there is currently minimal storage capacity developed in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ravi River
The Ravi River, located in northwestern India and northeastern Pakistan, is one of the Indus River’s five tributaries, lending its name to the Punjab region, which means “Five Rivers.” Originating in the Himalayas within India’s Himachal Pradesh state, the river flows west-northwest, passing through Chamba before veering southwest at the boundary of the Jammu and Kashmir union territory. Upon reaching the Pakistani border, it runs alongside it for over 50 miles (80 km) before entering Pakistan’s Punjab province. The river continues its journey, passing Lahore and changing direction to the west near Kamalia, ultimately joining the Chenab River south of Ahmadpur Sial after traversing approximately 450 miles (725 km).
The Ravi’s hydrology is primarily influenced by spring snowmelt and the South Asian monsoon, which brings substantial rainfall from June to September. During the summer monsoon season, the river can experience flood discharges exceeding 600,000 cubic feet (17,000 cubic meters) per second. However, its flow diminishes significantly during the winter months, along with the suspended sediment load.
The waters of the Ravi play a crucial role in irrigating vast swathes of land along its course. The Upper Bari Doab Canal, originating from Madhopur at the northern edge of the Indian Punjab state, was completed during 1878–79. This canal irrigates a significant area east of the Ravi in India, with its distributary canals extending into Pakistan. Prior to the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960, which allocated the Ravi’s waters to India in exchange for exclusive rights to the Indus and its western tributaries for Pakistan, disputes between the two nations over water usage were frequent. Additionally, the Lower Bari Doab Canal, fully situated in Pakistan, was completed in 1917.
The Indus Water Treaty
The signing of the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960 marked the culmination of nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan, facilitated by the World Bank, a co-signatory to the agreement. These negotiations, initiated by former World Bank President Eugene Black, resulted in what is regarded as one of the most successful international treaties, enduring through periods of heightened tensions and conflicts. Former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower hailed it as a beacon of hope amid the challenges of the time.
The Treaty’s Allocation and Mechanisms
The treaty divides the Indus River system, with the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) allocated to Pakistan and the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India. It also allows for certain uses of the rivers allocated to the other party.
To facilitate cooperation and information exchange, the treaty established the Permanent Indus Commission, comprising a Commissioner from each country. Additionally, it outlines specific procedures for addressing issues that may arise: the Commission handles “questions,” a Neutral Expert resolves “differences,” and an ad hoc arbitral tribunal, the “Court of Arbitration,” adjudicates “disputes.”
Disagreement over Hydroelectric Power Plants
A disagreement between India and Pakistan revolves around the design features of two hydroelectric power plants: Kishenganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts). While the former has been operational since 2018, the latter is reportedly under construction. It’s important to note that neither project is financed by the World Bank.
The disagreement centers on whether the technical designs of these plants violate the treaty. Located in India on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab Rivers, which are designated as “Western Rivers” under the treaty, Pakistan contends that certain aspects of the designs are non-compliant.
Differing Treaty Mechanisms Sought
In 2016, Pakistan requested the establishment of a Court of Arbitration, while India preferred a Neutral Expert to address concerns about the hydroelectric projects. These requests followed discussions within the Permanent Indus Commission.
The World Bank, as a signatory to the treaty, doesn’t have the authority to dictate which procedure takes precedence. It endeavored to fulfill its procedural obligations for both mechanisms while encouraging both countries to reach a mutually agreeable solution.
World Bank Involvement and Processes
On December 12, 2016, the World Bank Group President announced a pause in the processes requested by both parties to allow time for further negotiations. Despite extensive efforts and high-level meetings, a resolution wasn’t reached.
In March 2022, the World Bank resumed the process by appointing a Neutral Expert and Chairman for the Court of Arbitration. These mechanisms operate independently, with the World Bank’s role limited to reimbursing expenses as per the treaty.
The Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration Processes
The Neutral Expert operates according to treaty provisions, ensuring each party’s fair hearing and issuing binding decisions promptly. The duration of this process varies based on the complexity of each case.
Similarly, the Court of Arbitration determines its procedures and decisions by majority vote, including a casting vote for the Chairman in case of a tie. The timeline for this process also depends on the specific circumstances of each case.
Government Initiatives and Water Management Projects
In response to Modi’s pledge, a task force was established to ensure the optimal utilization of water from these rivers, particularly in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. India has implemented various water management projects, including the construction of storage facilities such as the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas, and Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi. Additionally, projects like the Beas-Sutlej link and the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project have played a crucial role in maximizing India’s utilization of water from the eastern rivers, with nearly 95 percent of the allocated water being utilized.
Another option available to the Modi government for utilizing its water quota from the Indus is the completion of the Indira Gandhi Canal in Rajasthan. However, this canal project has become embroiled in a political dispute between Haryana and Punjab over the Sutlej-Yamuna link.
Once finished, the Indira Gandhi canal could utilize a significant portion of the 30 lakh acre-feet of water that India currently allowed to flow from its quota in the Sutlej and Ravi rivers till now to Pakistan.
