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[blueazure]

Pakistan raised objections to five Indian dams, NA told
15 March, 2012




ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar on Wednesday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan had raised objections to the design of five dams to be constructed by India on three western rivers in violation of the Indus Basin Treaty.

In the Question-hour, he said these five dams include Nimoo-Bazgo Hydroelectric Plant on River Indus which is under construction while India plans to undertake construction of Dumkhar Micro Hydel Project (0.5 MW), Marpachoo Hydroelectric Plant (0.75 MW), Dah Small Hydroelectric Plant (6 MW) and Hanu Small Hydroelectric Plant (5 MW).

He said as far Nimoo-Bazgo, Pakistan may take up the issue at the Court of Arbitration while objections relating to others are being dealt with at the level of Permanent Indus Commission.

He told the House that currently Nimoo-Bazgo Hydroelectric Plant is a major project on the River Indus which is under construction and Pakistan raised objects to its design.

"These objections were raised in three meetings of the permanent Indus Commission from May/June 2009 to May/June 2010," he said.

He said Pakistan's question with regard to freeboard/parapet wall was addressed by ICIW during the meeting by making opening (4x4") in the Solid Parapet wall at the dam crest level. "With regard to other questions Pakistan may take up the issue at the level of Neutral Expert/Court of Arbitration.

He said India is obliged to supply information six months in advance before construction of new hydroelectric plants under the provisions of Indus Water Treaty 1960.

Regarding the information about new plants/dams by India, received from other sources, India has formally been asked to supply information that they do not violate the treaty. "The planned projects would similarly be taken up to effectively protect water rights of Pakistan under the Treaty provisions," he told the House. To another question, the minister said his ministry and Thar Coal and Energy Board are vigorously pursuing to develop necessary infrastructure for early completion of Thar Coal Project.

End.



http://paktribune.co...old-248297.html

[Sanguine]

blueazure, on 07 August 2012 - 09:24 AM, said:

He said as far Nimoo-Bazgo, Pakistan may take up the issue at the Court of Arbitration while objections relating to others are being dealt with at the level of Permanent Indus Commission.

So we are still thinking whether we should go for arbitration or not, kya baat hai.

[waz]

India will dot our rivers with dams. Arbitration is what can be done at this point in time. Pakistan needs to think out of the box and look at diverting the Indus from Indian territory. The river originates in Chinese Tibet and we have a shared border with China. Link it with some local Chinese rivers, in order to gather current and then push it through our Northern Areas.

We don't help our own cause either as we don't do anything in terms of conserving the water we do receive i.e. from the rains.

[blueazure]

Afia Ambreen

http://www.thefronti...article/167056/

posted in june 2012

Recently, a document titled “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’ (UNFCCC), reveals that India is all set to get the carbon credits of almost $700 million for 10 years against seven hydropower projects being built on Pakistan’s river Indus, Chenab and Jhelum from UN on 28 July . This will automatically provide legitimacy to all the projects. India’s seeking carbon credits from UN is also linked with Kishanganga project. Pakistan is already in a legal battle with India on Kishanganga Project in International Court of Arbitration at The Hague. The International Court of Arbitration (ICA) has granted a stay order, restraining India from going ahead with the controversial hydro power project over river Kishanganga in Gurez area of occupied Kashmir. Under the ICA order, India will not construct a permanent structure over River Neelum/Kishanganga that may affect the flow of water downstream. Pakistan had lodged a complaint in the court of arbitration that Indian bid to build Kishanganga dam was violation of World Bank brokered Indus Water Treaty of 1960. On Indian refusal Pakistan went to the ICA, which now issued the interim order on the issue restraining India from dam construction. Pakistan is confronted with a situation whereby India is trying to make IWT ineffective. Kishanganga is one among many projects that Pakistan is becoming wary of. Pakistan is a lower riparian state, which gets almost all its water from Indian Held Kashmir. To negate any major confrontation between the two countries, the World Bank helped them reach an agreement through the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in 1960. The treaty has withstood two major wars between the nuclear-armed countries besides smaller conflicts. But now the situation is changing, as Pakistan’s water needs have increased and the country is confronted with water shortage. India initiated the Kishanganga project, costing $820 million, in the Gurez-Bandipora area of Kashmir, which would divert parts Neelum/Kishanganga flow which will be used to generate energy and raised level of water in the Wullar Lake. It involves construction of a 37-meter high concrete faced rock-fill dam which connected via a 22-kilometer water diversion tunnel. If completed, the dam would result in a 21% drop in Neelum River’s inflow; thereby the diversion of the Kishanganga River by India will reduce 27 per cent of the power-generation capacity of its Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project. There is also fear of reduced river flows for at least six months every year, irreparable loss to the environment, especially to the Musk Deer Gurez Park, a vast national park in AJK near the LoC, and a dent in the tourism potential of the Neelum valley. About 200 kilometers of riverbed will be affected by the project and about 40 kilometers of the length of the river will completely dry up; the water reduction will also severely affect agriculture. Kishanganga is not the only project that India and Pakistan have been fighting over. The two countries had faced off over the Baglihar hydel-power project, built by damming the Chenab River in Indian Kashmir. In 2008 Pakistan was faced with decreased flow of water in the Chenab when India started to fill the dam. The river feeds water to 21 major canals and irrigates about 2.8 million hectares of arable land in Pakistan. Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW), an economic think-tank, calculated that filling the Baglihar dam would inflict a loss of $1.5 billion on Pakistan. Analysts termed it a hydro weapon. The fast-flowing Chenab, a vital river for Pakistan’s agriculture, has a high potential for generating power and India plans to generate 16,000MW of energy by constructing nine power houses on it.India maintains a huge military machine in Occupied Kashmir, much larger than the United States and its allies, put together, have in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Occupied Kashmir, its three-quarters of a million troops perhaps out number any such expeditionary force stationed in an occupied or disputed area since the Second World War. On the face of it, the deployment is tasked to deal with freedom fighters, which of course is a daunting challenge, but more importantly, it is there to change the face of the Muslim-majority landscape called Kashmir; its main weapon being brutal use of force against unarmed civilian population. But where its work goes almost unnoticed is the security it provides to Indian engineers, who are planning and working day and night to build dams on rivers that take water to Pakistan. So furiously are they working and in such so-far inaccessible areas that of late, New Delhi is thinking of bringing these projects under the enhanced protection cover of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). All this work falls within the definition of an aqua war India is preparing to foist on Pakistan. India is rapidly moving towards its target of making Pakistan totally barren by building dams on three major rivers Chenab, Jhelum and Indus flowing into Pakistan from the Indian side of the border. These dams are being built in shrewd violation of provisions in Indus Water Treaty signed between the two countries to ensure equitable distribution of water resources. India is doing its best to overturn the IWT but Pakistan must not fall into the Indian trap by following a two-pronged strategy. First, to pursue this case with full vigour, and ensure that the stay is confirmed, second, to utilize this breathing space to start building irrigation-cum-generation projects on the Indus. However, a permanent solution will involve a settlement of the Kashmir issue. It would mean a general Indo-Pak settlement, ridding us of threat of water projects in Indian Held Kashmir.
Recently, a document titled “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’ (UNFCCC), reveals that India is all set to get the carbon credits of almost $700 million for 10 years against seven hydropower projects being built on Pakistan’s river Indus, Chenab and Jhelum from UN on 28 July . This will automatically provide legitimacy to all the projects. India’s seeking carbon credits from UN is also linked with Kishanganga project. Pakistan is already in a legal battle with India on Kishanganga Project in International Court of Arbitration at The Hague. The International Court of Arbitration (ICA) has granted a stay order, restraining India from going ahead with the controversial hydro power project over river Kishanganga in Gurez area of occupied Kashmir. Under the ICA order, India will not construct a permanent structure over River Neelum/Kishanganga that may affect the flow of water downstream. Pakistan had lodged a complaint in the court of arbitration that Indian bid to build Kishanganga dam was violation of World Bank brokered Indus Water Treaty of 1960. On Indian refusal Pakistan went to the ICA, which now issued the interim order on the issue restraining India from dam construction. Pakistan is confronted with a situation whereby India is trying to make IWT ineffective. Kishanganga is one among many projects that Pakistan is becoming wary of. Pakistan is a lower riparian state, which gets almost all its water from Indian Held Kashmir. To negate any major confrontation between the two countries, the World Bank helped them reach an agreement through the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in 1960. The treaty has withstood two major wars between the nuclear-armed countries besides smaller conflicts. But now the situation is changing, as Pakistan’s water needs have increased and the country is confronted with water shortage. India initiated the Kishanganga project, costing $820 million, in the Gurez-Bandipora area of Kashmir, which would divert parts Neelum/Kishanganga flow which will be used to generate energy and raised level of water in the Wullar Lake. It involves construction of a 37-meter high concrete faced rock-fill dam which connected via a 22-kilometer water diversion tunnel. If completed, the dam would result in a 21% drop in Neelum River’s inflow; thereby the diversion of the Kishanganga River by India will reduce 27 per cent of the power-generation capacity of its Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project. There is also fear of reduced river flows for at least six months every year, irreparable loss to the environment, especially to the Musk Deer Gurez Park, a vast national park in AJK near the LoC, and a dent in the tourism potential of the Neelum valley. About 200 kilometers of riverbed will be affected by the project and about 40 kilometers of the length of the river will completely dry up; the water reduction will also severely affect agriculture. Kishanganga is not the only project that India and Pakistan have been fighting over. The two countries had faced off over the Baglihar hydel-power project, built by damming the Chenab River in Indian Kashmir. In 2008 Pakistan was faced with decreased flow of water in the Chenab when India started to fill the dam. The river feeds water to 21 major canals and irrigates about 2.8 million hectares of arable land in Pakistan. Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW), an economic think-tank, calculated that filling the Baglihar dam would inflict a loss of $1.5 billion on Pakistan. Analysts termed it a hydro weapon. The fast-flowing Chenab, a vital river for Pakistan’s agriculture, has a high potential for generating power and India plans to generate 16,000MW of energy by constructing nine power houses on it.India maintains a huge military machine in Occupied Kashmir, much larger than the United States and its allies, put together, have in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Occupied Kashmir, its three-quarters of a million troops perhaps out number any such expeditionary force stationed in an occupied or disputed area since the Second World War. On the face of it, the deployment is tasked to deal with freedom fighters, which of course is a daunting challenge, but more importantly, it is there to change the face of the Muslim-majority landscape called Kashmir; its main weapon being brutal use of force against unarmed civilian population. But where its work goes almost unnoticed is the security it provides to Indian engineers, who are planning and working day and night to build dams on rivers that take water to Pakistan. So furiously are they working and in such so-far inaccessible areas that of late, New Delhi is thinking of bringing these projects under the enhanced protection cover of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). All this work falls within the definition of an aqua war India is preparing to foist on Pakistan. India is rapidly moving towards its target of making Pakistan totally barren by building dams on three major rivers Chenab, Jhelum and Indus flowing into Pakistan from the Indian side of the border. These dams are being built in shrewd violation of provisions in Indus Water Treaty signed between the two countries to ensure equitable distribution of water resources. India is doing its best to overturn the IWT but Pakistan must not fall into the Indian trap by following a two-pronged strategy. First, to pursue this case with full vigour, and ensure that the stay is confirmed, second, to utilize this breathing space to start building irrigation-cum-generation projects on the Indus. However, a permanent solution will involve a settlement of the Kashmir issue. It would mean a general Indo-Pak settlement, ridding us of threat of water projects in Indian Held Kashmir.

[blueazure]

http://www.thenews.c...anganga-dispute

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has finally decided to settle the Kishanganga powerhouse dispute between Pakistan and India, a private TV channel reported on Tuesday.

India started building Kishanganga powerhouse in Bandipur area of held Kashmir in 1994 on the River Ganga-Kishan, which is tributary of River Jhehlum.

But in 2006 India, in violation of the Indus Water Treaty, changed the original design of the powerhouse diverting the river water into underground channels.

In 2010 Pakistan raised objections to the changed design and took up the issue with the World Bank. A seven-member team, appointed by the UN secretary general, after surveying the site and listening to the arguments of both sides has now finally decided to settle the dispute.

The report quoting sources said that the final hearing of the case will be held in Holland in the last week of August 2012. It is hoped that the issue will be now finally resolved one way or the other.

Pakistan and India will come face to face in August in the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) over controversial 330MW Kishanganga Hydro-Electric Power Project. A high-level delegation, led by Kamal Majeedullah, would be finalised soon. The team will have technical and legal experts.

[blueazure]

world bank negotiations are a mere diplomatic time gain tactic by the Indians,  the kishan ganga dam is on ground. its high time Pakistan start the kashmir rebellion in force and actively seek to somehow destroy this structure similar to the dam buster raid of 1943

[Krad]

Quote

somehow destroy this structure similar to the dam buster raid of 1943

Problem with that is that you will inundate all your people downstream. Right now, the fight should be in the courts....since if it can be settled there.....there need not be grievous human cost and more tensions. But keep all options open for future action if things dont go your way.

[blueazure]

Krad, on 08 August 2012 - 04:59 AM, said:

Problem with that is that you will inundate all your people downstream. Right now, the fight should be in the courts....since if it can be settled there.....there need not be grievous human cost and more tensions. But keep all options open for future action if things dont go your way.

the dam buster raid inundated the ruhr valley since the reservoirs behind the structures were quiet massive,, the RAF Lancaster bombers had ample time to come in at an angle, and drop the bouncing bomb since the lake was almost like a sea

the kishanganga and baghliar are on rivers that flow through narrow valleys and dont have that big reservoirs, hence any precise bomb attacks, even by PGMs are in IMO , out of question... multiple cruise missile strikes , maybe. yet one has to understand that this will escalate things and india / pak would openly go for war....

courts dont seem to solve this matter ,,,  either way, Pakistan has a tough road ahead.. india will certainly not de-construct the structures,,

i can only say that  Pakistan must ,at all costs, save the indus or god forbid, go out of existance

[blueazure]

operation chastise

RAF 'dam busters '

http://en.wikipedia....ration_Chastise

Möhne Dam after the attack.

eder dam after the attack, 1943

[hifi]

waz, on 07 August 2012 - 12:51 PM, said:

India will dot our rivers with dams. Arbitration is what can be done at this point in time. Pakistan needs to think out of the box and look at diverting the Indus from Indian territory. The river originates in Chinese Tibet and we have a shared border with China. Link it with some local Chinese rivers, in order to gather current and then push it through our Northern Areas.

We don't help our own cause either as we don't do anything in terms of conserving the water we do receive i.e. from the rains.

You realise the cost involved in doing that ? You'll have to cut a new route through the hindu kush and himalayas.
What about the other three rivers of punjab which meet up with indus ? what are we going to do with that ?
Sadly our nation has once again fallen on its face, consider turkey who in 50 years build dozens of major dams, while we built less than a dozen and still fighting on wether to build new or not. If the sindhis cannot trust the punjabis and vice versa, how are ever going to succeed ?

[waz]

hifi, on 08 August 2012 - 06:21 AM, said:

You realise the cost involved in doing that ? You'll have to cut a new route through the hindu kush and himalayas.
What about the other three rivers of punjab which meet up with indus ? what are we going to do with that ?
Sadly our nation has once again fallen on its face, consider turkey who in 50 years build dozens of major dams, while we built less than a dozen and still fighting on wether to build new or not. If the sindhis cannot trust the punjabis and vice versa, how are ever going to succeed ?

Of course the cost will be astronomical, that is a dead set. But what's the alternative? The courts, not much happening there. A war with india at a time of economic downturn and also with our navy and airforce facing a far stronger foe. Years of sacrifice were made in order to develop nuclear weapons. The same is needed now. As for the other rivers, the Chenab and Jhelum are important but our lifeline is the Indus. With some clever river linking we can divert the power of the Indus to the Sohan and Kunhar rivers, powering up the Chenab and Jhelum. But I understand it's still not an alternative for the reduced flow we will receive from the Chenab and Jhelum.

We have to be proactive ourselves and pile pressure on India.

The other option is to ask big buddy China to do the same with Northern India and dry the Brahmaputra. They are already building a large dam there and India is worried.

[waz]

A great paper on the Pakistan water crisis. It has all the latest developments.

http://www.google.co...iw=1600&bih=808

Fourth link down, called

INDUS WATER TREATY & EMERGING WATER ISSUES

[blueazure]

yes, the china card can be played to dam Brahmaputra as leverage..



river flow can be diverted through tunnel, China hydropower and dong feng are already doing that under the neelum-jhelum project in AJK

[waz]

blueazure, on 08 August 2012 - 07:26 AM, said:

yes, the china card can be played to dam Brahmaputra as leverage..



river flow can be diverted through tunnel, China hydropower and dong feng are already doing that under the neelum-jhelum project in AJK

Yes they are bro.

I have to say this is the probably the greatest threat to Pakistan period.