New Delhi: The government has finalised the details of a task force on Indus Water Treaty, which will be formed within one week, with the aim to stop river waters going waste in Pakistan.
The government wants to ensure surplus water for farmers in the border states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. This can easily be done by stopping water from Indian rivers which flows into Pakistan from going waste there, a source said.
The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six riversBeas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum.
Framework for the task force on Indus Water Treaty has been prepared. The task force will comprise 6 to 7 members and will be formed within a week, the source said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently said that Sutlej, Beas, Ravi waters belong to India and is not being used in Pakistan.
Every drop of this water will be stopped and would be given to farmers of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, Modi had said in a public meeting.
IWT: Pak to approach India by Dec end
Islamabad: Pakistan will approach India by the end of this month to address its concerns on the Ratle and Kishanganga projects, a day after the World Bank paused the separate processes initiated by the two sides under the Indus Water Treaty to allow them to resolve their disagreements, according to a media report today.
“Pakistans Indus Water Commissioner would establish a telephonic contact with his Indian counterpart till the end of this month and ask him to address Islamabad?s concerns on the design of Ratle and Kishanganga projects,” The Nation said.
Citing official sources, the paper said Pakistan will again approach World Bank in February “if India refuses to accept our demands for change in design of the projects or tries to use delaying tactics.”
In September, the World Bank, which had mediated the Indus Water Treaty, had said it was approached by India and Pakistan and it is “responding in its limited, procedural role as set out in the treaty”.
The bank said the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, is seen as one of the most successful international treaties and has withstood frequent tensions between India and Pakistan, including conflict.
India had taken strong exception last month to the World Banks decision to set up a Court of Arbitration and appoint a Neutral Expert to go into Pakistans complaint against it over Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
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