Chandigarh: Bansal slams Chouhan for remarks on Indus Waters Treaty
Bansal, who previously held the Union water resources portfolio, said that suspending the treaty in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack is an entirely different matter from the context in which it was signed in 1960
Former union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has criticised Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his statements that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had done injustice to India by signing the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. In a statement, Bansal said, “This only betrays his utter ignorance of historical facts.”
Bansal, who previously held the Union water resources portfolio, said that suspending the treaty in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack is an entirely different matter from the context in which it was signed in 1960. He explained that post-Partition, the canal system built by the British primarily lay in Pakistan, while India controlled the headworks. A temporary agreement in 1947 was followed by India withholding water in 1948, but limited storage capacity and flood risks required a long-term resolution.
“Internationally, the upper riparian states do not have any complete and absolute right over international river waters. The treaty was signed with Pakistan under World Bank mediation to ensure optimal utilisation of the Indus basin,” he said.
“While India has complete control over the water of Eastern rivers Ravi, Beas and Satluj, we also have non-consumptive rights over the water of western rivers Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum for hydro-power generation, navigation and fishing purposes,” Bansal added.
He stated that Salal, Baglihar and Kishanganga Dams as examples of projects executed before 2014.
Bansal added that while Nehru built projects like Bhakra Dam, surplus water still flows to Pakistan due to inadequate storage. He also criticised the Modi government for failing to curb China’s dam construction on the Brahmaputra, calling it a serious concern for India.
