Srinagar, February 21: The team of Pakistani officials, who are on a four-day visit to study the artificial lake project of the Jammu and Kashmir government on Tawi river, today sought evidence from Indian authorities that the plan does not violate provisions of Indus Water Treaty.
“We needed some evidence from the Indian side affirming that the lake was not violating the Indus Waters Treaty,” Pakistan”s Commissioner for Indus Water Treaty (IWT) Sheeraz Jameel told reporters after the three-member team made first round of inspection.
The Pakistan panel, headed by Jameel, also sought details from the state authorities regarding the size, dimensions and water storage capacity of the lake.
However, Indian authorities tried to play down the visit of Pakistani team. Indian IWT commissioner C Ranganath, who was accompanying the team, said, “It is a routine affair… It has nothing extraordinary. Indian team goes to Pakistan to see their projects; they come us to see our projects. What is extraordinary it it?”
Jammu and Kashmir is constructing a two km-long artificial lake by erecting a check dam on river Tawi near Jammu for promotion of tourism and providing water supply to dry areas of the city.
The state government is hopeful that the visit will help dispel any apprehension about violation of provisions of Indus Water Treaty.
Minister for Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control Taj Mohi-ud-Din said though Pakistan has not raised any objection so far regarding construction of the lake “but they wanted to satisfy themselves after visiting the site and the place where the ”bundh” (embankment) is being raised on the Tawi bed.”
“They may have doubts regarding violation of Indus Water Treaty signed between the two countries but we have carried out work within the permissible limits of the pact,” Taj said, adding, “no violation has been committed in the design of the lake or even in the water storage.”
The work on the lake project is in full swing and is expected be completed in one year. The project will not only attract more tourists to Jammu, but will also help in irrigation, officials said.
——–PTI