A three-member water commission delegation left for India via Wagah Border on Sunday to inspect Indian hydel projects at Chenab basin mainly the 1,000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai in Indian occupied Kashmir under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty. It is being headed by Pakistan's commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Mehr Ali Shah.
India has allowed Pakistan to inspect projects after four-and-a-half years, he said while speaking to the media. "Implementation on the Indus Water Treaty will prove to be beneficial for both Pakistan and India." The tour for inspection of Indian hydro-power projects by Pakistani experts was confirmed by India's commissioner for Indus Waters Pradeep Kumar Saxena through a letter earlier in January, after several postponements. New Delhi has agreed to allow the inspection of the projects on Chenab basin from January 28 to 30
Shah remarked that the treaty doesn't allow either country to stop the construction of any project. "We can only raise objections over the design of the project," he remarked. He said that Pakistan's reservations over the design of Baglihar Dam were accepted by India.
A nine-member delegation of Indian Indus Waters Commission arrived in Lahore on August 28, 2018. It was headed by Indian Water Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Saxena. Pakistan objected to the construction of Indian water projects on River Chenab. The officials said that India violated the Indus Waters Treaty by constructing reservoirs at a time when there is a severe water shortage in Pakistan.
It may be added that the Treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers, known as the Permanent Indus Commission, which has a commissioner from each country. The Treaty also sets forth distinct procedures to handle issues which may arise.
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