Govt dragging feet on quantification of IWT losses

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State government’s much-trumpeted announcement last May to quantify the losses suffered by Jammu and Kashmir on account of an international water treaty between India and Pakistan has not made any headway despite a multinational company showing interest in the project. The state was to project its claim for compensation on the basis of the losses quantified by the consultancy.
Officials said though the consultancy, Ms Halcrow Consulting India Limited, a part of Ms Halcrow Group of UK, has offered to assess losses suffered by JK on account of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), the government is yet to take any decision on the issue and the matter is pending a decision at the highest level.
The state-owned Power Development Corporation (PDC), which was assigned the job to engage the consultancy for quantifying IWT losses, has already intimated the government about the offer it has received. “But there is no movement forward on the issue,” a PDC official, wishing anonymity, said.
Last year government had shelved the proposal and decided to invite fresh bids as only Halcrow had shown interest in the project. The directions for engaging the consultancy to quantify IWT losses was given by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the power portfolio, himself at a meeting of the PDC board of directors in May this year.
Managing Director PDC, Shaleen Qabra said the matter is at the “advanced stage” and government wants more consultancies to join the competition which could benefit the state. “The date for submitting the bids is already over by a long time. By now government should have taken a decision on future course of action,” rebutted an official.
Omar had announced that once the state has definite figures on the losses, government will take the matter up with the Centre to seek compensation.
“We don’t know the quantum of the losses suffered by Jammu and Kashmir. There are no definite estimates and the figures vary between Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 80,000 crore. Hiring the consultancy will definitely help the state to get the losses evaluated scientifically and it will make its compensation claim stronger,” another official said.
The IWT, brokered between India and Pakistan by the World Bank (then the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) in 1960, gives India exclusive rights to use the waters of three Eastern Rivers - Sutlej, Beas and Ravi - and their tributaries before they enter Pakistan. While Pakistan secured rights over the waters of three Western Rivers - Chenab, Jhelum and Indus- under the Treaty. The water-sharing agreement bars Jammu and Kashmir from fully exploiting its hydro-resources for power generation.
Experts have been stating that the IWT is the main hurdle in state’s development in different sectors including industry, agriculture and allied sectors and more importantly generation of hydro-electric power.
According to reports state incurs losses estimated at Rs 6500 crore annually by the dint of Indus Water Treaty.
Due to riders put by IWT state can only harness 2460 MWs of power despite having potential of 20,000 MWs of energy generation.

Source- Greater Kashmir