Ravi River Water Dispute between India-Pakistan

Ravi River Water Dispute between India-Pakistan

GS-1, 2: Indian River System, International Relation

(UPSC/State PSC)

Important for Prelims:

Shahpurkandi Barrage Project, Ravi River, Indus River System, Indus Water Treaty.

Important for Mains:

Shahpurkandi Barrage Project, Its importance for India, Indus Water Treaty, Significance, Conclusion.

28/02/2024

Why in news:

With the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage on the Ravi River, on 25 February, the Indian government has stopped the flow of water to Pakistan, marking a strategic shift in water allocation. This move will benefit the Jammu and Kashmir region for agricultural purposes.

Why did India stop the flow of Ravi river:

Cause:

  • The Indian government argues that before the Shahpurkandi Barrage project was built, 2 million acre feet of water annually went to Pakistan unused from the Ravi river below Madhopur and according to the Indus Water Agreement, there was no economic use of the water of this river for India, hence India has taken this step.

Pakistan's response:

  • When the water flow of Ravi river in Pakistan was completely stopped, Pakistani media called it water terrorism and Pakistan accepted that India has violated the Indus Water Agreement.

About Shahpurkandi Barrage Project:

  • Foundation Stone: Located on the Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir border, the foundation stone of this project was laid by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1995. However, the project remained suspended for more than four and a half years due to disputes between the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
  • Despite facing many challenges in the last three decades, Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project is fully ready for irrigation and hydro power generation.
  • The successful implementation of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage empowers India to make maximum use of the Ravi River waters by redirecting previously allocated resources from the old Lakhanpur Dam to Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
  • Shahpur Kandi Dam Project is located downstream from the existing Ranjit Sagar Dam on the Ravi River in Pathankot district of Punjab, India.
  • The water released by Ranjit Sagar Dam is to be used to generate electricity for this project.
  • The project will generate up to 206MW of power and provide irrigation to Punjab (5,000 hectares) and Jammu and Kashmir (32,173 hectares).
  • The construction of the dam is in accordance with the framework of the Indus Water Treaty regarding the sharing of rivers between India and Pakistan.
  • National Project: Shahpurkandi Dam Project was declared a 'National Project' by the Union Ministry of Water Resources in February 2008.
  • As per the National Project guidelines, the Central Government will provide 90% of the cost of the irrigation component as Central Assistance and 10% will be provided by the Government of Punjab.

Significance of this project for India:

  • The Government of India has emphasized the importance of this project for agricultural development in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
  • In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally, pledged to ensure efficient use of water of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers for Indian farmers. He stressed India's rightful claim to these waters and the imperative to stop their waste in Pakistan. Later a task force was set up to guarantee that every drop of water from these rivers reaches Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • With the completion of Shahpur Kandi Barrage, India is set to harness these water resources, boosting agriculture and economic development in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
  • With this project, Jammu and Kashmir region and Punjab will now benefit from 1150 cusecs of water already earmarked for Pakistan for agricultural irrigation and power generation.
  • More than 32,000 hectares of land in Kathua and Samba districts will get the benefit of water.

Strategic significance:

  • The project is part of India's broader strategy to harness the eastern river waters exclusively allocated to the country through projects such as the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River, the Pong and Pandoh Dams on the Beas and the Thein (Ranjitsagar) Dam on the Ravi.

About Ravi River:

  • Origin: This river originates in Multhan tehsil of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh in the western Himalayas.
  • It is a trans-border river of India and Pakistan. It is one of the five tributaries of the Indus River.
  • It then flows through the Indian state of Punjab and enters Pakistan, where it finally joins the Chenab River in Punjab province.
  • Length: The total length of this river is about 720 kilometers (447 miles). About 158 kilometers (98 mi) of the river's course is in India, and the remaining 562 kilometers (349 mi) flow through Pakistan.
  • It is also called the 'River of Lahore' because the city is situated on its eastern bank.
  • Its Tributaries: The Ravi River receives several tributaries, including the Bhadal, Ujh, Tarnah and Basantar rivers in India and the Aik, Bara and Beas rivers in Pakistan.
  • Indus Water Treaty of Ravi River: Under the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan, the waters of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers are allocated to India.

About Indus Water Treaty:

  • This treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in the year 1960 under the guidance of former World Bank President Eugene Black and former US President Dwight Eisenhower.
  • Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India has exclusive rights to the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers, while Pakistan controls the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers.

Significance of Indus Water Treaty:

  • The Indus Water Treaty is of paramount importance in the management of water resources in the Indus Basin, which is shared primarily between India and Pakistan, with minor contributions from China and Afghanistan.
  • Recognized as the pinnacle of international diplomacy, this treaty has controlled decades of political tensions and conflicts between India and Pakistan.
  • This treaty has been able to provide a stable framework between the two countries for the development of irrigation and hydropower projects for fifty years.
  • The provisions of the treaty enable India to set up storage facilities on western rivers, further enhancing its water management capabilities.

 

 

Conclusion:

India has undertaken several water management projects, including the construction of storage facilities such as the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, the Pong and Pandoh dams on the Beas and Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi.

These efforts, combined with infrastructure such as the Beas-Sutlej Link and Madhopur-Beas Link as well as the Indira Gandhi Canal Project, have enabled India to utilize almost the entire share (95%) of the waters of the eastern rivers.

Source: The Hindu

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Mains Question:

Discuss “Shahpurkandi Barrage Project is very important for India”.