WB expert to release Baglihar findings on Friday
NEW DELHI—The inspection of controversial Baglihar Hydro Power Project
by the World Bank expert continued for the second consecutive day in the
Indian Occupied Kashmir. The World Bank appointed Swiss neutral expert
Raymond Lafitte Monday held marathon discussions with the Pakistani and
Indian teams at the dam site.
According to the official sources, “The talks were going on in
closed-door environment to break the deadlock between India and Pakistan
over the project at Baglihar site in Chanderkote, Doda district of Held
Kashmir,” said a news report said here quoting the official sources.
After watching the power house, dam design and flow of the river again
today, the team went into a closed-door discussion which continued for
over six hours, added the sources.
However, they could not visit Pul-Doda for checking the water flow at
different places on the river Chenab, the sources said adding the team
also collected water flow record of the past one year. In the closed
door meetings, Pakistan reiterated its stand for change in the design of
the dam, saying it was in violation of Indus Water Treaty, added the
sources. Lafitte, a professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology in Lausanne, is accompanied by two other Swiss experts, six
Pakistani and four Indian officials at the site. The team had yesterday
inspected all the structures connected with the 450 MW hydel power
project at Chanderkote.
World Bank appointed neutral expert Raymond Lafitte will share his
initial findings on the Baglihar hydroelectric project in Jammu and
Kashmir in a press statement to be released in New Delhi Friday.
The Swiss expert, on day two of his inspection of the project over which
Pakistan and India have differences, said Monday that the work had been
“good” but he was duty bound not to speak about it.
“I will release a press release in Delhi on Friday. Before that I will
not say anything about the inspection and its outcome,” Lafitte told
IANS before leaving for Pul Doda where he will study the catchment
areas.
His statement was an indication that he intended to make his findings
public, in keeping with the commitment to keep the inspections “totally
transparent”.
The team will visit Khaliani and Pul Doda, up to where the reservoir of
the Baglihar dam over the Chenab will come up submerging more than three
dozen villages. Lafitte is accompanied by a Pakistani and Indian
delegation. The dispute between India and Pakistan centres on the height
and size of the approximately $1 billion Baglihar dam in the Ramban area
of Jammu and Kashmir.—Agencies
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