Water availability falls sharply

THE NEWS

Sunday, February 07, 2010
By our correspondent

LAHORE: Pakistan is fast becoming a desert because of a drastic fall in water availability from 5,000 cubic metres per capita in the 1950s to 1,000 cubic metres in 2010.

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s former vice president Shahzad Ali Malik said this in a presentation to US Consulate’s Economic and Political Adviser Richard C Jao.

LCCI Vice President Faisal Iqbal Sheikh, Executive Committee members and former Lahore Chamber of Commerce presidents also attended the presentation.

Malik said without water 20 million acres of fertile land would dry up in a week and tens of millions of people would face starvation. No army, with bombs and shellfire, could devastate the country as India by cutting off river flows, he stressed.

He urged the US to ensure implementation of the Indus Water Treaty in letter and spirit, sharing of complete information about water flows as per Article VI of the treaty and installation of telemetry system on rivers by international agencies.

Besides, he added, the country should be compensated for loss of 0.2 million acre feet of water to Baglihar and protection of watershed in upper reaches (J&K) of western rivers.

According to the presentation, Indian manipulation of river water goes back to 1948 as all the rivers on which Pakistan depends originate from India and Kashmir.

The presentation further said between 1951 and 1960 the US took keen interest in water issues leading to the Indus Water Treaty in 1960. The World Bank was the facilitator in appointment of neutral experts and arbitration. Three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) were given to India and three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) to Pakistan.

However, last-minute changes in the treaty permitted India irrigation of 1.343 million acres (2.85 MAF) from western rivers. Water for Pakistan was not quantified.

All water heads originated in Kashmir, the jugular vein of Pakistan, he said, adding through annexation of Kashmir India managed to take control of Pakistan’s ‘lifeblood’.

India first used the water weapon in 1948, prompting an intervention by US President Truman. Under the Indus Water Treaty, India cannot stop or interfere with western rivers, whereas in case of Baglihar Dam India did not meet the treaty’s provisions of sharing information. India withheld 0.2 MAF of water in case of Baglihar.

He said India was building a huge storage facility (national river linking project) at a cost of $120 billion to be completed in 2016 which might result in conflicts with neighbouring countries including China, Bangladesh, Bhutan and others.

India was also blatantly violating commitment to ensuring 50,000-plus cusecs in Chenab at Marala. The presentation said that under-construction Kishanganga Dam was a severe threat to Neelum-Jhelum Hydel Project of Pakistan.