Emphasising the importance of suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil has said India will ensure that not even a “drop of water” from the Indus river goes to Pakistan.
Mr Patil said this in a post on Friday after a meeting at Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence, which was also attended by top officials.
“The historic decision taken by the Modi government on the Indus Water Treaty is completely justified and in the national interest. We will ensure that not even a drop of water from the Indus River goes to Pakistan,” Mr Patil wrote in Hindi on X.
The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 was announced by India on Wednesday as part of a series of steps taken after the terror attack in Pahalgam.
Among the options that are on the table in the short term, the Centre is looking at de-silting existing dams on the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab and increasing reservoir capacity, all of which will reduce the water flowing into Pakistan.
Pakistan has been objecting to two hydroelectric projects by India – Kishenganga on a tributary of the Jhelum and Ratle, which is under construction on a tributary of the Chenab. The suspension of the treaty will allow India to ignore Pakistan’s objections.
In the longer term, building new dams and infrastructure on these rivers is also something that is being considered.
