In an attempt to turn the heat on Islamabad in the light of the Uri terror attack, the Modi Government is planning to fast-track four projects in the Indus river basin to increase the irrigation area in Jammu & Kashmir by nearly 2.05 lakh acres, which, in effect, would entail using more waters from the Western rivers — Indus, Chenab and Jhelum-controlled by Pakistan.
Of the four projects that the Government plans to fast-track, Tral Irrigation Project in Pulwama, Prakachik Khows Canal in Kargil and restoration and modernisation of main Ravi Canal in Jammu's Sambha and Kathua, are expected to be completed by this fiscal. The fourth project of Rajpora lift Irrigation is planned to be completed by December 2019.
The first three projects will help irrigate around 1.45 lakh acres. The Rajpora lift Irrigation is expected to help irrigate around 59,305 acres.
Technically India can irrigate up to 13 lakh acres in Jammu & Kashmir. This target, they said, can be achieved when optimum storage capacity is achieved in the State. The four works are expected to cost Rs117 crore for which money will be raised by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
"Until now, as per the J&K records, seven lakh acres is irrigated in the State. This is a very small number. So, the Government is trying to complete work on these projects to increase the size of total irrigated area in the State," sources said.
"The projects are being developed well within rights of India and in no way will affect flow of water to Pakistan," they said. Sources insisted that the projects were part of Government's efforts to irrigate larger swathes across the country by completing small/medium 99 irrigation projects under ambitious Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKYS) and Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) and have nothing to do with the Uri incident and aggression along loC.
They said despite militancy in J&K, projects would be completed in time.
Post-Uri attack that left 19 soldiers dead, India has been reviewing the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) to explore possible ways to "exploit to the maximum" its share of water of rivers flowing into Pakistan.
"Blood and water cannot flow simultaneously," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said after the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist strikes as he chaired a review meeting on September 27 of the 56-year-old IWT. During the meeting, it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the waters of the Pakistan-controlled Western rivers as per the water-sharing pact.
With Pakistan unrelenting in backing terror outfits, the Government has declared its intention of isolating Islamabad globally and has since used the UN General Assembly and BRICS forums in this regard. Additionally, New Delhi seeks to make Islamabad feel the heat by taking concrete steps to re-boot the IWT in favour of Indian riparian interest. India also suspended the meeting of Indus Water Commissioners from the two countries who used to meet about twice every year.
Soon after the terror attack, Government decided to set up an inter-ministerial task forces to go into the details and working of the Treaty with a "sense of urgency" apart from agreeing to review the "unilateral suspension" of 1987 Tulbul navigation project in 2007 by India.