Sunday, May 15, 2011

India, Pakistan seek early solution to Wullar issue

In keeping with the spirit of the resumed dialogue process, India and Pakistan on Friday agreed to explore an “early and amicable resolution” of the Tulbul Navigation Project/Wullar Barrage issue within the ambit of the 1960-vintage Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).A joint statement, issued after the two-day Water Secretary-level engagement between the two countries, said India would provide comprehensive technical data to Pakistan within a month. Pakistan would examine this data and furnish its views to India by September 15.

The Dawn reported that India offered to change the design of the project in a way that one of the bays would remain an un-gated structure to ensure a constant flow of water and thereby address Pakistan's concern of manipulation.Both sides also agreed to take the matter forward in the light of the outcome of these technical consultations and in accordance with the provisions of the IWT. “Primarily, the joint statement articulates our intent to work out a win-win solution that is best for the people of both countries,” Indian Water Resources Secretary Dhruv Vijai Singh said at the conclusion of the talks. 

Though the Pakistani media reported that the Indian delegation walked out of the talks on the first day, both sides maintained this was far from true and flagged the joint statement as evidence of the effort to move forward on an issue that is celebrating its silver jubilee this year. It was in 1986 that this issue was prised open by India's plans to make the Tulbul Navigation Project in keeping with the wishes of the Kashmiri people for year-round flow of water in the Wullar Lake for commercial and tourism purposes which in turn would generate employment. 

Pakistan's contention has been that the IWT prohibits any water storage facility on the Jhelum river. The Indian counter has been that this project is not a storage facility for either drinking water or irrigation but fits into the IWT provision of having regulating structures on water flows for non-consumptive use. 

Also, India maintains that the project is beneficial for Pakistan as it checks the flow of water during the monsoons and prevents flooding while becoming an assured source of water during the lean season. Officials privy to the negotiations said Pakistan wanted an assurance from India that the navigation project will not be used to block water flow in early March when supply is crucial for agriculture. India is understood to have expressed a willingness to give such a guarantee. 

Given that India is keen to resolve this issue and meet a long-pending demand of the Kashmiri people and fight back the charge of just paying lip service to their interests, arbitration is the other option for India if an agreement does not come through. Pakistan has already exercised the arbitration option to resolve differences over the Kishanganga Project. 

Courtesy : The Hindu

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