India to fast-track hydro projects on Pak-bound rivers

India plans to speed up hydropower projects on rivers flowing into Pakistan after it suspended the Indus Water Treaty last week, two people aware of the matter said.

- Vijay C. Roy & Rituraj Baruah

The Centre is also exploring the possibility of building new projects on the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, and their tributaries.

The Indus Water Treaty, signed in 1960 through the mediation of the World Bank for sharing of river waters between India and Pakistan, was suspended by India following the killing of 26 people by terrorists in Kashmir's Pahalgam on 22 April.

The treaty had capped India's storage capacity on these rivers at 3.6 maf (million acre feet). With the treaty now suspended, India can build hydropower dams and reservoirs for flood control on them. It is estimated that average annual runoff of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab is 136 maf, of which 40% comes from the Indian catchment.

State-run NHPC will expedite the commissioning of Sawalkot (1,856 MW), Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Ratle (850 MW) Bursar (800 MW), Kiru (624 MW), Kirthai 1 and 2 (1,320 MW) hydropower projects, among others, the people cited above said on the condition of anonymity.