With Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, Jammu and Kashmir plans to harness river waters

The Jammu & Kashmir government is mulling to take advantage of the suspended Indus Water Treaty (IWT) by diverting, for the first time, water from the Ravi river in Punjab to the Jammu region, and pushing for the revival of the Tulbul Navigation Barrage project in the Kashmir region.

Official sources said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has raised the issue with the Centre. The Tulbul project, which started in 1984, hit a dead end when Pakistan raised objections in 1987 under the IWT. However, the Centre put the treaty in abeyance in 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack.

In its renewed efforts, the J&K government has made a proposal to the Centre to enable year-round navigation on the Wular lake by maintaining a minimum depth of water, which was not possible because of the IWT. It is likely to infuse a new lease of life to the Wular lake and the farmlands nearby, officials said. 

The J&K government has also proposed a major water pump from the Chenab river in Akhnoor to meet Jammu’s future needs. Besides, the government has proposed to divert excess water from the Ravi in Punjab to feed the barren lands of Kathua and Samba districts in Jammu region.

Officials said the Shahpur Kandi dam adjacent to Punjab is likely to be completed this year and will stop the flow of excess water from the Ravi into Pakistan. 

“The excess water from Ravi river (in Punjab) to Pakistan will be stopped and diverted to Kathua and Samba districts, which are drought-hit areas. This project is our priority,” J&K Water Resources Minister Javeed Rana told The Hindu.

Under the IWT, signed by the two countries in 1960, India has full rights over three eastern rivers of Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej. The treaty allowed Pakistan full rights over three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.