No watch on implementation of Indus Waters Treaty

Warning:

The most dangerous issue of violation of IWT by India developing into Memo-gate like situation

No watch on implementation of Indus Waters Treaty

This is in continuation of the News item dated January 2, 2012 ‘Jamat Ali Shah escapes to Canada’ after it was established that Jamat Ali Shah former Indus Waters Commissioner has helped and facilitated India in building Nimoo Bazgo , and Chuttak hydropowers projects on Pakistan’s Indus River besides building dams and creating more Live storage than allowed on the Jehlum and Chenab Rivers inflicting huge damage to the country’s water resources for agriculture to produce food. Jamat Ali Shah remained silent about the Nimoo Bazgo and Chuttak Projects. It is surprising Jamat Ali Shah never paid visit during 2002 to 2009 to these projects even after their completion. This was in spite of the fact that Military Intelligence (Mi) informed the Government of these projects in June 2005 and the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) on July 15, 2005. All this is unfortunate for no response from Pakistan.

The Daily News gets the credit to expose treason-like act. A Dam built even on run-of-the-river is a multipurpose hydraulic structure. It creates gross storage that includes dead storage and live storage besides producing hydropower. India built dozens of dams to store Live storage, during the past 35 years without observations from Pakistan. This free hand encouraged India to violate the Indus Waters Treaty.

Jamat Ali Shah never revealed the exact number of dams built in occupied Kashmir to know live storage. Therefore, no one knew how much Gross. Storage, Dead storage and live storage was created by each of the dam on Indus River, Jehlum River and Chenab River. Storage is the pivotal point governing the water rights under the IWT. This vital issue is absolutely ignored by Mr Jamat Ali Shah as India created about 48 maf of Gross storage by building dozens of dams out of which 38 maf is live storage. This means Jamat Ali Shah helped India to wage water war by holding our live storage, inflicting huge damage to the Indus basin Canal Irrigation System to create food insecurity, using water as a silent weapon of mass destruction, creating hunger, famine, death, genocide and economic collapse of Pakistan. I have written six papers on this matter informing the Government. Two were addressed to Jamat Ali Shah who got annoyed when I pointed out that India is building dam and tunnel on River Indus near Kargil.

Thanks to Senator John Kerry who revealed in a report to the US Government that India built 32 dams acquiring ability to store enough water in these dams and limit the supply of water during the Rabi crop to Pakistan. An excerpt from John Kerry report is quoted;

“that India has acquired the ability to store enough water to limit the supply of water to Pakistan at critical moment in the growing season”.

This is a very dangerous revelation by The News paper. John Kerry report foresees the possibility of fear of water war. This statement will help Pakistan if it goes to the court for violation of the Treaty. Pakistan’s water requirement during the critical moment of Rabi growing period is about 38 maf. It is estimated that in 32 dams, India has created about 48 maf of gross storage that includes about 10 maf of dead storage and about 38 maf of live storage. As such, India has acquired the destructive ability to restrict 38 maf of water requirement of Pakistan. This restrictive ability will turn the Indus basin Canal Irrigation System non-perennial or seasonal. Therefore, there will be no water for growing Rabi crops. This means all concerned organizations did not bother to watch, and arrange to implement the IWT. India should have been restricted in time to store only the allowable 4.19 maf of live storage and no more. India on the contrary created 48 maf of Gross storage or about 38 maf Live storage. The Government failed to know this vital basic fact and did not go to the Court for protecting Pakistan’s water rights. Thanks to John Kerry for revealing information. The Government should go to the court now to restrict India to the allowable live storage of 4.19 maf. The Government should also go to the Security Council of the UN, as stoppage of water would create famine and large scale death due to hunger leading to genocide. A Memo-like scandal appears to develop.

Another serious issue is of rapid silting of reservoirs, that is a very pivotal component of IWT of basic importance. Silting of Reservoirs is ignored and unwatched by Water Commissioner and all others though it is the spinal cord of the IWT. The issue of silting turned the Treaty inefficacious as the Treaty is based on the creation of Replacement storage for transfer of water to east Punjab. The Replacement supplies of about 6.5 maf, stored in Tarbela Reservoir, Mangla Reservoir and Chashma barrage have already silted up. The storage have limited life, and were created under the Treaty to compensate Pakistan as India diverted Pakistan’s perennial waters of the three Eastern Rivers that irrigated East Punjab of Pakistan. Now the lost storage is to be Replenished by India by new storage for its continuation, otherwise the Eastern Rivers supplies be restored to Pakistan by India as was on 1947. Pakistan’s water rights cannot be denied.

The Commissioner Water ignored the two serious vital issues which renders the IWT ineffective. When the Treaty becomes ineffective, the old water rights to the area are restored. Treaty or no Treaty water rights to Pakistan cannot be denied or usurped under any law. The two water issues may immediately be taken to the court to avoid dangerous situation. The principle of justice is that Storage water cannot be equated to the perennial water. For equating water availability and water rights, new storage will have to be created as its Replenishment. A limited thing cannot be equated to the unlimited thing. The Treaty safeguards water rights of Pakistan and India equally.

The NEWs item dated January 2, 2012 further reveals that Mr Riaz Ahmad Khan then Advisor to the Ministry of Water and Power is also involved in helping India clinch the Carbon credit from the UN for these projects.

I have sent about two dozens of papers to the Ministry of Water and Power highlighting all water issues of great consequences. What to speak of action on these papers, these are not even acknowledged by the Ministry. They have never read my website on Water Issues. This inertness shows governance failure of extreme nature and absence of patriotism. This is the reason for grabbing Pakistan’s water by India and for the crippling Load Shedding, flood havoc of 2010, rain destruction of 2011, water shortage and food insecurity. The above two issues and WAPDA’s blunders for not building Katzarah Dam, Guroh Dop Dam and not undertaking Integrated Comprehensive Water Management will destroy irrigated agriculture in Pakistan.

Copy to:   Kamal Majidullah Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Water to approach the Court on these issues.

 The one is of violation of the IWT by India, usurping Pakistan’s share of Water on its Three Western Rivers by creating 38 maf of Live storage in 32 dams in occupied Kashmir against the allowable storage of 4.19 maf of water, depriving Pakistan of its centuries established water rights of growing Rabi crops from Eastern Rivers. The Rabi water requirement of Pakistan is about 38 maf. The issue of not watching the rightful implementation of the IWT smells of high treason and may in the future become more serious than the Memo-gate scandal, involving many institutions and many high-ups.

The other issue is to approach the court from turning the IWT inefficacious due to silting, and directing India to replenish the lost storage of 6.5 maf due to silting of Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma barrage by building Katzarah Dam on the Indus to honour IWT. Alternately, Canal water supply from the Three Eastern Rivers be restored to East Punjab of Pakistan as was on 1947. 

In the very near future, IRSA will face water shortage and the provinces create hue and cry. Therefore IRSA be directed how it is going to meet this situation when IRSA is already short of water, and has  demanded 22 maf of water to implement Water Accord. On the contrary, IRSA would face 38 maf of water shortage during Rabi s India would hold this water.

 Chairman IRSA

The Authority is requested to call a meeting. All the five members may examine this paper in the light of IRSA Act, as according to IRSA Act Preamble, handling water issues and its regulation and distribution of water resources of the Indus River System come under this Authority. The IRSA will face the after effects of India illegally holding Pakistan’s waters, thereby creating terrible water shortage, upsetting the very Water Accord implementation. It is therefore necessary to plan to counter act this conspiracy by adopting water saving measures through Integrated Comprehensive Water Management. A written brief of views by each member may be submitted for discussion.

Secretary Water and Power. Water issues have reached the yield point. Therefore the issue may be taken seriously in your capacity as an administrative secretary, and guide how to get out of it.

Minister Water and Power. This bomb shell is far more serious than load shedding and the flood of 2010. Please do not further ignore taking action otherwise this would trigger bloody revolution. People have already come on roads. A situation similar to Memo-gate like is developing.