Latest news with #AKBajaj
NDTV
a day ago
- Climate
- NDTV
India's Indus Treaty Suspension Leads To Water Crisis In Pakistan: Report
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. A Pakistan report reveals a 13.3% water shortfall from the Indus River, impacting Kharif crops in that country's Punjab province, due to India's suspension of a water-sharing treaty in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. New Delhi: A Pakistan government report indicates a 13.3 per cent year-on-year shortfall in water drawn from the Indus River System - and supplied to already water-starved farms in the Punjab province - following India halting a 1960 water-sharing treaty for the Pahalgam terror attack. The report by Pak's Indus River System Authority said 124,500 cusecs were released from the Indus basin to dams on June 5, compared to the nearly 144,000 cusecs this time last year. The shortfall, experts said, will affect the sowing of Kharif, or monsoonal, crops. Monsoon rains could improve this supply but, at least till then, crops in Pak's Punjab province are at stake. "In Pakistan, there is less water in rivers and reservoirs connected to the Indus River System, because of which farmers there are in a crisis. The sowing of Kharif crops is underway in Pak..." AK Bajaj, the ex-Chairman of the Central Water Commission, told NDTV. Mr Bajaj said the particular problem facing Pak is that the monsoon only reaches Punjab province by the end of June or the first week of July. Till then, he said, the crisis could get bigger. Media reports point to a nearly 21 per cent water shortage in Pak for the early Kharif season, which usually extends to June second week, due to India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. The Indus Water Treaty was signed by India's Jawaharlal Nehru and Pak's Ayub Khan (File). Pakistan must also battle a severe heatwave predicted this week; on Monday morning Karachi residents were warned of excessively hot and humid conditions for the next 24 hours at least. The maximum temperature predicted was 37 degrees Celsius. Heatwaves have also been predicted for Balochistan, which has recorded temperatures six degrees above normal for this time of year. The Sindh province has also been warned. Indus River System The Indus basin is fed mainly by the Ravi, the Jhelum, and the Indus itself, all three of which were allotted to Pak under the Indus Waters Treaty but flow through India before crossing over. The agreement gives India rights over the eastern rivers - i.e., the Sutlej, Beas, and Chenab. It also gives India the right to use some waters from the western rivers - those allotted to Pak - so long as its usage does not significantly affect the amount of water flowing into Pakistan. NDTV Explains | Story Of Indus Waters Treaty, Partition, Planning, Pak Impact By suspending the treaty as retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 people were killed, Delhi has been able to control, to some extent, the western rivers and flow of water to Pakistan. It also means, Mr Bajaj told NDTV, that Pak is at "increased risk of floods" because India does not now have to, and is not, sharing data about the water level of rivers in the Indus system. "...in such a situation, when the water level of connected rivers increases during the monsoon, it can increase the risk of floods in Pakistan, and it may have to face disasters." All of this has been red-flagged in Islamabad, which has now written four times, in quick succession, requesting India to reconsider its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. The four letters were sent by Pakistan's Ministry of Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza to India's Jal Shakti Ministry, which forwarded them to the Foreign Ministry, sources said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, has made it clear his government will not reconsider this decision, so long as Pakistan continues to support cross-border terrorism.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Gujarat company to replace all 33 crest gates of Tungabhadra dam
Munirabad (Koppal): Of the four companies that vied for the tender to replace all 33 crest gates of the Tungabhadra reservoir, the Gujarat-based Hardware Tools and Machinery Project Company emerged as the winner. The responsibility for replacing the crest gates was entrusted to this company by the Tungabhadra Board, which set a deadline of 15 months for the work to be finished. The bidding process included Gujarat's Anar Company, Hardware Tools and Machinery Project Company, along with Telangana's Swapna Projects Pvt Ltd and Bekem Infra Projects Private Limited. Following a thorough evaluation of technical bids and documentation by the board committee, Hardware Tools and Machinery Project Company bagged the tender. According to Basavaraj L, superintendent engineer of KNNL at the Tungabhadra Project Circle in Munirabad, the tender for the replacement of crest gate 19, which was washed away on Aug 10, 2024, was finalised with the Hardware Tools and Machinery Project Company. Additionally, the tender for the remaining 32 crest gates was also awarded to this company. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of June 2026. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Neuvěřitelné: Kalkulačka okamžitě ukáže hodnotu vašeho domu [podívejte se na to]! tržní hodnota mého domu Kliknout zde Undo The comprehensive project encompasses all 33 crest gates. The 19th gate replacement costs Rs. 1.6 crore, while the remaining 32 gates had an allocated budget of Rs. 52 crore. The company secured the contract with a competitive bid of Rs. 41.4 crore through the e-tender process, significantly under the allocated budget, sources said. A technical assessment led by former Central Water Commission chairman AK Bajaj's committee evaluated the dam's condition and provided safety recommendations. National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) president Anil Jain's subsequent inspection emphasised maintaining reduced water levels during non-destructive testing. Hyderabad-based KSNDT Services conducted comprehensive testing on all gates, including ultrasonic and dye penetration tests, presenting their findings on March 25. Their report indicated a 40-50% reduction in gate thickness from original specifications, necessitating complete replacement. Based on these findings, the Tungabhadra Board opted to replace all gates. The TB Board declared that, while a complete replacement cannot be achieved this year, maintaining water levels 12 to 15 feet above the spill level will provide an adequate supply for single crop cultivation and drinking purposes. Consequently, it was decided to cap water storage at 80 tmc, compared to the reservoir's total capacity of 101 tmc at a height of 1,626 feet.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Renegotiate Indus Waters Treaty: Former CWC chairman
During his tenure as chairman of the Central Water Commission from 2008 to 2011, AK Bajaj played a pivotal role in the intricate negotiations surrounding the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with his Pakistani counterparts, overseeing the implementation of numerous key projects. In an interview with Jitendra Choubey , Bajaj delves deep into India's strategic desire to renegotiate different aspects of the treaty. He articulates how India can harness the precious waters of the Indus Basin, navigating the complex legal frameworks established by the current agreement. Excerpts: Can you explain the historical context of IWT? After Partition, control over major canal head points remained with India, particularly at Ferozepur in Punjab. The British had established a complex canal system to irrigate Punjab, which raised significant concerns among Pakistani leaders about India's control over its water resources. In response, on several occasions, Pakistani leaders sought the help of negotiators involved in the partition, including Lord Mountbatten, to advocate for a treaty that would hold India accountable for water flow. As the UK lost its colonial influence after World War II, the United States intervened to encourage the newly independent nations of India and Pakistan to come to the negotiating table. In 1955, the US appointed the World Bank to facilitate these negotiations and brokered the deal in 1960. Interestingly, the World Bank has not brokered any such treaty elsewhere. For instance, the Nile River, which flows through three African countries, has no water-sharing treaty. This treaty served as a geopolitical entry point for the US into South Asia. Was the treaty fair? I believe the treaty was somewhat lenient towards the lower riparian state. Our leaders at the time did not negotiate effectively to secure more water from the western rivers. Instead of agreeing on water sharing per river, both countries divided the rivers. The three western rivers — Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus — were allocated to Pakistan, while India gained absolute control over the waters of the eastern rivers — Satluj, Beas, and Ravi. The treaty included a clause for regular visits by the Pakistan commissioner to the Indian side to monitor compliance, regardless of whether India violated the treaty, and mandated the regular sharing of water data to help manage floods in the lower riparian country. The western rivers provide a total of 80 million acre-feet of water, of which India can use only up to 3.6 MAF for non-consumptive purposes. India has full control over the eastern rivers, which have a total of 33 MAF water. The treaty includes clauses that impose strict restrictions on India regarding water storage. It permits only diurnal storage for a few hours, resulting in limited electricity generation. In the Baglihar project, for instance, India aimed to store water up to 25 million cubic meters, but Pakistan permitted only 13 MCM. Our energy requirements have increased significantly. Additionally, a controversial provision of the treaty mandates that the outlets of projects must be higher, leading to increased siltation, rendering the current projects less effective. If renegotiation happens, what would be India's major demand? According to our internal technical assessment at CWC, in a renegotiation scenario, India aims to hold water for at least a week to generate sufficient electricity. Additionally, India shall push for the creation of storage to hold 3.6 million acre-feet (MAF) of water as per the current treaty. Why did India not go for the abrogation of IWT? It is a step-by-step approach. Two years ago, India issued notices to Pakistan to renegotiate the treaty and amend certain clauses, but Pakistan did not respond. In light of the recent terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, India sent another notice indicating that it would keep the treaty in abeyance. If the situation escalates further, India may unilaterally abrogate the treaty. Even the Vienna Convention also states that if relations between two countries become sour due to a humanitarian crisis, a country can withdraw from the treaty. How many projects has India planned in the Indus Basin? Why are these projects not meeting their timelines? According to the current treaty, India must build dams to store 3.6 MAF of water. However, Pakistan has not allowed India to construct the Bursar storage dam on the Jhelum River, which would store 0.5 MAF of water. Although India has initiated the Pakal Dul Project (1,000 MW), it is falling behind schedule. How technically and financially feasible is it to retrofit these projects to store more water? Technically, it is not possible to retrofit the projects. During the construction of the dams, Pakistan closely monitored the progress, preventing India from making enhancements that would allow for increased storage in the future. This means that a run-of-the-river project cannot be converted into a storage project. What immediate options does India have if it puts the Indus Waters Treaty on hold? What options are available for Pakistan? India can pursue projects that have been stalled for a long time due to objections from Pakistan. One such project is the Tulbul navigation project on Wular Lake, which has been planned for 30 years. India can begin creating storage for 3.6 MAF of water for non-consumptive use, as permitted by the treaty. Additionally, India can create further storage without the treaty and transfer this water to the eastern rivers through tunnels. On the other hand, Pakistan will be at a disadvantage. Pakistan will need to develop large storage projects to manage water during the lean season, which will be expensive. Will the World Bank intervene to help maintain the treaty? If Pakistan seeks to renegotiate the treaty with India, it may invite World Bank observers to safeguard its interests. Pakistan knows that India holds the upper hand in any renegotiation, as India is the upper riparian state and tends to maximize its advantages.
NDTV
28-04-2025
- Business
- NDTV
For Indus Waters, Two Storage Facilities Being Built, Former Official Tells NDTV
New Delhi: India is building two water storage facilities which would help store the whole of Indus water now that the Water sharing treaty with Pakistan has been put on hold indefinitely, AK Bajaj, Former Commissioner (Indus) and Technical Consultant to Indus Water Treaty for 10 years, has told NDTV. Last week, following the massacre of a group of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, India had indefinitely suspended the water treaty. It had also taken a host of other non-military measures including shutting the Attari border and revoking visas of Pakistan nationals in India. Mr Bajaj said two years before putting the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, the government had prepared a framework to renegotiate the treaty. The government has accelerated work on the two new water storage projects on the Indus River System - Pakuldul Project and Bursar projects," he told NDTV in an exclusive interview. The construction work of the Pakuldul Project is progressing rapidly while the Bursar Project is in the final planning stage. When both these water storage projects are ready, India will not only be able to store more water from the rivers connected to the Indus river system as per its requirement but it will also be possible to divert it to states like Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, he said. The Indus water treaty, signed in 1960, had never been suspended during the many ups and downs in the India-Pakistan relation. Under the agreement governing Indus and its tributaries, all the water of the eastern rivers - Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi amounting to around 33 million acre feet (MAF) annually - has been allocated to India for unrestricted use. The waters of western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab - amounting to around 135 MAF annually have been assigned largely to Pakistan. With 85 per cent of Pakistan's agricultural economy completely dependent on the Indus river system, Pakistan has called the suspension an "act of war". In retaliation, Islamabad has threatened to suspend all agreements between the two countries, including the Simla pact of 1972, which validates the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Pakistan has also reduced Indian diplomatic staff at the High Commission, shut its airspace to Indian flights, closed down its side of the Wagah border post and asked Indian Defence, Naval and Air Advisers in Islamabad to leave.
