Amidst anger over Pulwama terror attack, India on Thursday announced its decision to ‘stop’ its share of water of three rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej ‘which used to flow to Pakistan’.
Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari said the water of these ‘Eastern rivers’ will be diverted and supplied to Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
As per the 1960 Indus Water Treaty governing six common rivers, India has full rights over Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers while Pakistan has full rights over Jhelum, Chenab and Indus.
Under the Treaty, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, all flowing through Punjab, have been described as Eastern rivers and Jhelum, Chenab and Indus, all flowing through Jammu and Kashmir, have been identified as Western rivers.
‘Under the leadership of Hon’ble PM Sri @narendramodi ji, Our Govt. has decided to stop our share of water which used to flow to Pakistan. We will divert water from Eastern rivers and supply it to our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab,’ Gadkari tweeted.
‘The construction of dam has started at Shahpur-Kandi on Ravi river. Moreover, UJH project will store our share of water for use in J&K and the balance water will flow from 2nd Ravi-BEAS Link to provide water to other basin states,’ he said in another tweeted.
He added that all the above projects are declared as the National projects.
Earlier, Gadkari said at an event in Bhagpat in Uttar Pradesh, that ‘after partition, three rivers each were divided between India and Pakistan. The water of the three rivers over which India has rights was going to Pakistan’.
“We have constructed projects after which the water of these rivers will be diverted to Yamuna river. Once this happens, there will be more water in Yamuna.”
His announcement came at a time when India is exploring options to ‘punish’ Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attack of February 14 in which 41 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed.
The suicide bomb attack was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, which is based in Pakistan and backed by the Pakistani establishment.
Image only for representation.
Source: Rediff