Ramban, May 3: All gates of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Ramban district continue to remain closed a year after the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, underlining the lasting impact of the decision on water management and hydroelectric operations in the region. The Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project, a key infrastructure on the Chenab, has remained under close monitoring since the treaty was put on hold following the Pahalgam attack.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of river waters between India and Pakistan, was suspended after the Pahalgam terror strike, marking a major shift in bilateral water‑sharing arrangements. Despite later agreements on a cessation of hostilities, New Delhi has kept the treaty in abeyance, with the status of the Indus water regime still under review.
The Indus system includes the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers, mainly shared by India and Pakistan, with a small share also draining into China and Afghanistan. Under the treaty, all waters of the eastern rivers—Ravi, Sutlej and Beas—averaging about 33 million acre‑feet (MAF) were allocated to India, while the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum and Chenab—averaging around 135 MAF—were assigned to Pakistan, with limited rights retained by India for domestic, non‑consumptive, and agricultural use.
India is also permitted to generate hydroelectricity through run‑of‑the‑river (RoR) projects on the western rivers, subject to specified design and operational criteria. To fully utilise its share of eastern‑river waters, India has built major projects such as the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, Pong and Pandoh dams on the Beas, and Thein (Ranjit Sagar) Dam on the Ravi, along with systems like the Beas‑Sutlej Link and the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project, helping the country harness most of the eastern‑river flows.
