‘Power sector faced 2 lakh cyber-attacks’
By: Riyaz Bhat
Srinagar, Jun 12: With Indus Water Treaty (IWT) being put in abeyance, Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar Thursday said that the Government of India (GoI) was no longer answerable to Pakistan and will resume work on Wullar barrage project.
Speaking at a press conference—marking 11 years of the BJP-led Central government, Khattar said, “Earlier we had to take them (Pakistan) on board with regard to the any project or development in this regard. Now, the situation has changed.”
“Previously in 1981, there was a new project near Wullar Lake, Pakistan had not allowed and permitted to build the barrage on the River Jhelum at the mouth of Wullar Lake,” he said.
The minister said that because of the treaty, the project could not be taken forward. “However, after putting the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, there is no requirement of any permission from Pakistan and we will resume the work on the project.”
About the threats, Khattar said, “Pakistan has got the response during Operation Sindoor and they will again get the answer with the same force if they dare to do anything with regard to the Indus Water Treaty.”
“After the operation Sindoor, Pakistan has been badly affected by the abeyance of Indus Water Treaty and PM Modi has clearly said that Terror and Talks, Terror and Trade and Blood and Water can’t go together. This a clear message to every country of the world,” he said.
He also said that there were two lakh cyber-attacks on the power sector of India during ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The Minister however said that all the cyber-attacks were successfully thwarted.
“There have been many cyber-attacks on our technology and if I will speak about the cyber-attacks on power sector, there were over 2 Lakh attempts of cyber-attacks on our power sector Operation Sindoor’.”
Khattar however said, “Our cyber department tackled all of them and did not let us suffer any losses.”
Asked about the closure of a mobile app of the power department, the Minister said, “There is no involvement of any cyber-attack. There would have been some other issues.”
He said, “We have strengthened our defense system. Nowadays, we are not only manufacturing war related gadgets and appliances for our safety only but we are becoming more powerful in exporting it.”
“Since 2013, the export of such gadgets and appliances have increased by 34 percent,” he said. (KNO)
Work to resume on Wullar barrage: Khattar
