Indus Waters Treaty

Context:

Centre directs officials to upscale efforts for ‘better utilization’ of river waters in J&K under Indus Water Treaty

About Indus Water Treaty:

• The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was signed by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then President of Pakistan, Ayub Khan in 1960 by mediation of World Bank.
• Water Allocation: 

• • All the water of the eastern rivers – Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi was allocated to India for unrestricted use.
  • The waters of western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — were assigned largely to Pakistan.

Image Source: The Indian Express

• India has been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through run of the river projects on the western riverabject to specific criteria for design and operation. 
  • The Treaty also gives the right to Pakistan to raise objections on the design of Indian hydroelectric projects on western rivers. 
• Pakistan roughly got 80% of the water in the Indus drainage system. 
• Setting up of Permanent Indus Commission: It mandated both the countries to establish a Permanent Indus Commission for resolution of conflicts.
• IWT does not have a unilateral exit provision, and is supposed to remain in force unless both the countries ratify another mutually agreed pact.

India’s Perspective:

• India is unhappy with the treaty because it prevents building storage systems on the western rivers.
• The Indus Treaty allows for the building of storage systems under certain circumstances, but India complains that Pakistan is blocking such efforts due to political tensions.

News Source: The Hindu

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