The Permanent Court of Arbitration has concluded critical hearings on the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan has targeted several Indian hydroelectric projects on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir during the proceedings.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, Pakistan has used the 624 MW Kiru hydel project in Kishtwar as a case study in its submissions to the court. Pakistani counsel alleged that India’s claims regarding water storage and pondage at the project are exaggerated. Information was available with The Chenab Times that Pakistan referred to projects including Kiru, Kwar, Baglihar and Dul Hasti while arguing that India is maximising pondage allocations.
Pakistan has contended that India’s approach to pondage for larger plants could have a significant impact on downstream water availability in Pakistan. The counsel suggested that India may be maximising pondage on projects above 300 MW, particularly those on the Chenab, in ways that exceed treaty provisions. Pakistan has also sought inclusion of environmental flow considerations in pondage calculations.
The Economic Times reported that in its January 19 memorial to the PCA, Pakistan questioned India’s pondage share claims for the Kiru project. It stated that pondage should remain in the range of 3.36 million cubic metres to a maximum of 7.72 million cubic metres. Pakistan described India’s claim of entitlement to a 20.22 million cubic metre operating pool at Kiru as exaggerated.
Pakistan has maintained that it is not seeking a specific ruling on the Kiru project itself. However, it has urged the court to take these concerns into account when determining maximum pondage for run-of-the-river plants under the relevant annexure of the treaty. Pakistani submissions have highlighted what it described as limited data shared by India on pondage and projections.
India is fast-tracking construction of several hydel projects in Jammu and Kashmir following the abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty. The 1,000 MW Pakal Dul and 624 MW Kiru projects are targeted for commissioning by the end of 2026. The 540 MW Kwar project aims for completion in 2027, along with the 37.5 MW Parnai project.
The PCA proceedings primarily address pondage and design issues related to the Kishanganga and Ratle projects. Pakistan has, however, introduced references to other Chenabi hydel projects in its arguments concerning pondage and environmental flows.
India has boycotted the PCA proceedings as well as those before the neutral expert, maintaining that the forum lacks jurisdiction in the matter. No immediate official response from Indian authorities was available on the latest Pakistani submissions regarding the Kiru and Kwar projects.
The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 governs the sharing of waters of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. The ongoing arbitration focuses on the interpretation and application of treaty provisions to run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
