India approves Chenab hydropower project, raising IWT concerns
“New Delhi cleared the Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower scheme on the Chenab, a decision Pakistan says breaches the Indus Waters Treaty.”
Key points
- New Delhi cleared the Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower scheme on the Chenab, a decision Pakistan says breaches the Indus Waters Treaty.
- Islamabad vows to pursue treaty mechanisms as environmental and strategic concerns are flagged.
India has approved the Dulhasti Stage-II project on the Chenab River in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, a move Pakistan-based reporting says undercuts the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The project is expected to generate up to 260 megawatts and could begin construction early next year, according to The News cited by Geo News.
The plan would channel water from the Marusudar River via the Pakal Dul scheme to the existing Dulhasti dam infrastructure. Environmental clearances warn that a 25-kilometre stretch downstream could face significant hydrological change once operational.
Officials in Islamabad argue the approval follows New Delhi's bid to hold the treaty "in abeyance," even as Pakistan says it will continue to engage in Neutral Expert proceedings in good faith. In August, the Permanent Court of Arbitration reaffirmed Pakistan's rights to western river flows under the 1960 accord.
The IWT divides control of the Indus Basin's rivers, granting Pakistan primary rights to the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab and India to the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. Pakistan fears upstream construction on the Chenab could pose strategic and agricultural risks.
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