WB expert may
suggest Baglihar’s design revision
WASHINGTON—World Bank-appointed neutral expert on Baglihar issue Mr.
Raymond Lafitte will meet Indian and Pakistani officials in Washington
tomorrow (Tuesday) to firm up his conclusions with regard to the 450 MW
project in the dispute over the Baglihar hydro-electric project in Jammu
and Kashmir.
There was considerable amount of anxiety in Pakistan after reports said
Lafitte, the Swiss water expert in his ‘draft final determination’ had
in principle upheld the design of the Rs42 billion project being built
by India on the River Chenab with some modifications, including some
reduction in its height.
The arguments on Lafitte’s draft final determination would end on
November 9 after which he was expected to deliver his verdict by
December-end. India has fielded noted lawyer, Fali Nariman, to defend
the design considered to be an engineering feat of sorts as it had to
meet a nebulous clause in the 1960 Indus Water Treaty which stipulated
that India could only build turn of the river power projects on the
Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. The riparian rights of the three rivers were
granted to Pakistan under the treaty, while India enjoyed rights over
Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers. The specification of the run-of-river
hydro plant meant that volume of water received in the upstream of the
plant during any period of seven consecutive days shall be delivered
into the river below the plant during the same period.
An Indian news agency claimed it appears that India may have to settle
for a reduction of height eventually, which could result in some amount
of reduction in power generation capacity.
However, the draft verdict has apparently given green signal to the
design, including the slew gates built at the bottom which Pakistan
vehemently objects on the ground that it provides India with the ability
to store and release waters at will. Pakistan also apprehends that India
could release the water in times of war.
It said further India appears to have successfully argued that the slew
gates are important for the longevity of the project due to massive
silting in the region. The gates were expected to help de-silting.
Before the arbitration began both sides said they would accept the
verdict by Lafitte.
Lafitte’s verdict is expected to have wider political ramifications.
This is the first time perhaps that India, notwithstanding, its
reservations on third party mediation on Kashmir, boldly agreed for an
international arbitration on an issue involving Pakistan. A favorable
verdict upholding the design could prompt it to take much bolder
initiatives to pursue such projects for the power-starved Jammu and
Kashmir state.
India could now expect to pursue the Kishenganga and Wullar Barrage
projects with less recrimination from Pakistan. India has already
altered the design of the Kishenganga project to make it fit to face any
similar arbitration even though Pakistan has rejected that too.
Meanwhile, Indian diplomats and engineers have said New Delhi would not
make the mistake of stopping any of its projects like it did in Wullar
Barrage navigation project, which remained stalled despite countless
meetings on the issue.—INP |
