India, Pak. delegations reach J&K to inspect power projects under Indus Water Treaty

• Delegations from India and Pakistan flew to Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir with neutral experts and began inspection of two power projects under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

Highlights:

• A team of 40 people reached Jammu for inspection of various under-construction power projects in the Chenab valley region.
• This is the first visit by a Pakistani delegation to Jammu and Kashmir in more than five years under the dispute settlement mechanism of the 1960 treaty.
• India and Pakistan signed the IWT after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory of the pact which sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of waters of a number of cross-border rivers.
• A three-member Pakistan delegation inspected the Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydroelectric power projects under the provisions of the IWT
• The delegation visited the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) headquarters, then left for the 85-MW Ratle hydroelectric power project site at Drabshalla for dam inspection.
• They will also visit the 1,000-MW Pakal Dul hydroelectric project on the Marusudar, a tributary of the Chenab, and other power projects in Kishtwar.

Prelims Takeaway:

• IWT
• Indus and Chenab