With Indus Waters pact with Pakistan on hold, India plans monthly flushing of Salal and Baglihar dams

With the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance and the Indian government having already carried out the first flushing exercise at Baglihar and Salal — its two run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) — the Central Water Commission (CWC) has now recommended that such flushing become a monthly routine.

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The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and the Jammu & Kashmir administration have begun flushing the Salal and Baglihar reservoirs can reduce the volume available for later release.

Making flushing a monthly exercise is part of the government's short-term plan to utilise Indus Waters after the treaty was placed in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack.

As a further short-term measure, India will neither share hydrological data with Pakistan nor inform it of these flushing operations.

For the medium and long term, India plans to fast-track hydroelectric projects stalled by Pakistan's objections under the treaty, consider diverting some Indus flows, and explore building new projects, a senior official said.

"For any new project under the treaty, India had to inform Pakistan six months in advance. We are under no such obligation now," the official added.

Among the hydroelectric projects the government will expedite are Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Kiru (624 MW), Kwar (540 MW) and Ratle (850 MW), all on the Chenab River.