Jammu, Feb 10: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that the union territory government plans to fully utilise the abeyance of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) to implement various water infrastructure projects.
The issue of many defunct tubewells and other projects of water resources was raised by BJP MLAs including former minister, Sham Lal Sharma in the Legislative Assembly during Question Hour.
Admitting that short-term solutions to the water problems in Jammu is like covering a wound with a band aid as Sham Lal Sharma had rightly said, CM Omar Abdullah told the Assembly that the government must work on plans that look at water needs for the next 30 to 50 years since the traditional water resources would not suffice to meet the future needs.
The chief minister recalled that during the coalition government of NC and Congress, when Sharma was a minister, a proposal to supply water to Jammu city from Chenab river could not be implemented because of the IWT.
“That project was sent to the Asian Development Fund through the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), but approval was denied due to IWT constraints”, CM Omar recalled.
He told the House that since the IWT is under abeyance at present, there is an opportunity revisit the Chenab River water supply project for Jammu city.
“Our government is working closely with the Centre to take full advantage of the abeyance of the IWT.
“We are working with the Centre on two major projects — the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on Jhelum river near Sopore in north Kashmir and lifting water from the Chenab river in Akhnoor to provide water to Jammu city.
“We are hopeful of receiving approval for both the projects soon, after which work will begin,” CM Abdullah said.
“I have said this before in the House and I have said it through the press and I will repeat it again. If we have to ensure water availability for the next 30 to 40 years for Jammu, then we must look at new and sustainable solutions,” asserted the Chief Minister.
He recalled that during our previous regime, the intention was to bring water from the Chenab at Akhnoor to Jammu. However, the proposal could not move forward due to constraints arising from the Indus Waters Treaty.
“We had submitted this proposal to the Asian Development Bank under the ERA programme but it was not agreed to because of restrictions linked to the Indus Waters Treaty,” he informed the House.
He added that with the Indus Waters Treaty currently in abeyance, the government is now actively working with the Government of India on two major initiatives.
“One is the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on the Jhelum at Sopore and the other is pumping water from the Chenab at Akhnoor to Jammu,” said the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that work on these schemes would begin at the earliest. “We are working on both of these and I hope that work will start as soon as possible,” he added.
Emphasising the need for long-term planning, the Chief Minister said efforts would also continue to revive the defunct wells, reform existing schemes and install new tube wells.
“We will have to think about the next 30, 40, or even 50 years for Jammu. With traditional water supply schemes alone, we will not be able to meet the growing demand,” he added.
Earlier, replying to a main question raised by Legislator Arvind Gupta on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Health Minister, Sakeena Itoo informed the House that a DPR has been formulated for permanent restoration of 600 mm and 500 mm dia Sitllee – Manda rising mains amounting Rs. 95.97 lakh and submitted to Deputy Commissioner, Jammu for release of funds under SDRF/DMRRR/available District resources.
The Minister said that a proposal amounting Rs. 9215.94 lakh has also been submitted by the department to Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction and Finance Department for development of infrastructure damaged during the recent flash floods including 600 mm and 500 mm dia Sitllee – Manda rising mains, adding that the release of funds is still awaited.
She also informed that Tube Well at Women Polytechnic College, Jammu and Tube Well at front side of Forest Office near Kamdhenu Flats Jammu have been taken up under AMRUT-2.0. She added that various works have been taken up for improvement of water supply in Jammu West Constituency.
The Minister also informed that the matter regarding redevelopment/restoration of the defunct Tubewell in Jammu West is under active consideration. It is proposed to be taken up by the Jal Shakti department under District CAPEX Budget during the next financial year 2026-27, she added.
Legislators Sham Lal Sharma and Vikram Singh Randhawa raised supplementary questions.
It may be mentioned here that the IWT was signed by India and Pakistan on September 19,1960.
According to the treaty, three major rivers of Punjab i.e. the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas were ceded to India while three major rivers in Jammu and Kashmir, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab were ceded to Pakistan.
India could fully utilise the water of three rivers ceded to it, but of the three rivers ceded to Pakistan, no dam or other barrage to obstruct water could be made on these rivers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Only run-of-the-river projects with limited installed hydropower capacity could be constructed in Jammu and Kashmir.
The IWT, therefore, put brakes on the possibility of Jammu and Kashmir utilising the full potential of Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers.
After the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 last year in which 26 innocents including 25 tourists and one local Pony owner were killed by Pakistan-backed LeT terrorists, India announced its decision to suspend IWT and the suspension continues at present.
