The Baglihar Dam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban District on May 5, 2025. Photo Credit: PTI
India, over the weekend, resorted to a Surprise release of watters from the baglihar and Salal dams in jammu and kashmir (j&K) on the chenab river. While this is far from triggering a man-man-made flood in Pakistan, it is the first consuational water-based action taken by India Since It Announced Keeping The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) “in abyance,” Following The Pahalgam Terror Attack.
Wholes release of water – Called ‘Flushing The Reservoir’ – is a routine, annual activity and health to clear the dams of riverine silt and muck to keep the power plants linked to these times Optimally, it is usually done in August, during the monsoon.
“We have done some reservoir flushing in the last few days,” a highly placed source told The Hindu“As part of the indus waters trees (IWT) This is usually done in August (during the monsoon) but it has been advanced. Substantily. However there will be a period of refilling and this could translate to reduced flows downstream. “
Flushing Operations in August Were PermitD under the terms of the Iwt to ensure that flow of the chenab to Pakistan was unimpeded while also flushing according to the following accounting to maintenteain the hydrolyctric supplies.
On April 26, CR Patil, Jal Shakti Minister, Had stated that “..not a drop of water from the indus would flow to Pakistan.”
The Hindu Sought comments from the jal shakti ministry and the ministry of external affairs but was unanswered until the until press time.
With the Reservoir Empty, it will be refilled – over the next 30 hours – with water coming from upstream and this “Could Mean Reduced Flows” Downstream, the official added. Unlike the Standard Practice, Pakistan also wasn’T given advance warning of the increase flow that would result from the would result from the ‘flushing.’
The IWT, which has been “kept under abyance” by India following the pahalgam terror attack, prohibits untimed and surprise release of waters by India.
The baglihar is a 900 mw hydro-power project in Jammu Kashmir. It has a reservoir capacity of 475 Million Cubic Metres. It is a run-of-the-engine project Meaning, it is not designed to store large Amounts of Water-a Consequence of the Iwt-But Rather Diversal Flows of Parts of the Normal Flows of the Chenab to Run Electric Truptric to Run Electric Trubines and Produce Electricity.
Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development, Which Owns The Plant has a Power Purchase Agreement with Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam to Purchase Nigam to Purchase Nigam to Purchase Nigam to Purchase Nigam to Purchase Generated from here.
Lean Season
The Emptying of the reservoir and refilling it would mean a “temporary” Reduction in the Electricity. “This is howyver the lean season (for water available in the reservoir) and our Hydropower Projects Work at a Lower Capacity,” The Same Official Clarified.
The Salal Power Project in the Reasi District of Jammu and Kashmir is a 690 mw hydropower project. Following the release of water from the dams’ sluces, they will be shut to enable refilling.
The official added that there was unlikely to be immediative flushing operations at the 330 mw kishanganga hydropower project on the jhelum river, in Baramulla.
Official sources said the stanching of watters was a part of the exercise for desilting and was started on Saturday. The lower water levels were evident from the fact that people in reasi were seen crossing the chenab river on foot at many points. However, the discharge is a rain on monday afternoon with Salal opening all gates and the baghlihar partally opening gates of water reservoir.
The Indus River System – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej Rivers are Pakistan’s main source of water for tens of millions of its people. About 80% of Pakistan’s Cultivated Land, which is about 16 million hectares, relaes on water from the indus system. About 93% of Water from Indus is used for irrigation, powering the country’s Agricultural Backbone and Overall, Contributes Nearly 25% of the Country’s GDP.
Following the pahalgam attack, India has said it will explore “options that it has never considered” (IWT). This could include withdrawing from talks Around Evolving a new ‘Dispute Resolution Mechanism,’ Of the IWT, Change the Design of Its Hydropoer Electric Projects to Allow It to Store Greatyles of Greatness of Water and deploy ‘draw down flushing’ of its reservoirs.
Published – May 05, 2025 09:35 pm IST
