INDUS WATER TREATY

INDUS WATER TREATY

After the attack on the Uri Army base, the demand of taking action against Pakistan is raising up. Apart from the suggestions of war circulated around the whatsapp and facebook many of us are in support of putting Political and Diplomatic pressure on Pakistan and one of which include the Indus water treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960.

ABOUT INDUS

Indus rises from the Mansarover lake which is in China occupied Tibet. The river from there flow to India with his four tributaries Ravi, Jhelum, Satluj, Beas and Chenab. From India the river goes to Pakistan and finally drains into Arabian sea near the port of Karachi in Sindh. It is the longest river of Pakistan. It flows 47% in Pak, 39% in Indian, 8% in China and 6% in Afganistan.

THE TREATY

Ravi, Beas and Sutlej are eastern river whereas Indus, Chenab and Jhelum are considered to be western rivers. India has the complete right over the eastern rivers and Pakistan has right over the western rivers however India can limited amount of water from western too for agriculture and electricity purpose.
But still 80% of water of all 6 rivers goes to Pakistan whereas Indian only use 20% of it.

In 1951 then Prime Minister of Indian Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru invited David Liliyanthal to India who at that time was writing articles on Indian subcontinents, after returning back to America he wrote an article on the dispute of Indus between India and Pakistan which was read by the world bank head Robert Black.

At starting world bank was just an adviser but from 1954 world bank started giving direct intrusion in this matter and in 1960 the treaty was finally signed. Hence this treaty becomes an international treaty as the world bank has also signed this treaty.

WHAT IF INDIAN BREAK THIS TREATY

1. As world bank has his influence on this treaty going against it will be like going against world bank and spoiling the Indian image as a lot of people are dependent on Indus in Pakistan. Indian not even broke the treaty during war with Pakistan except in 1948 ( that time treaty wasn't signed). This shows India's dedication towards the promise.

2. It requires number of canal and dams to build across the river if we want to stop its water to go to Pakistan which requires time and money both because at present India don't have much provision for this. Water in Indian territory may cause flood like situation if we really stop or deviate the flow.

At last almost 30 crore of population depends upon the Indus and there is no tap on the river to stop its flow towards Pakistan. So completely stopping the water to Pakistan is a solution but not a perfect solution.