News
Saturday, October 25, 2008
India rejects Pak demand for water compensation
* Accuses Pakistan of ‘politicising a technical issue’, playing ‘arithmetic gymnastics’
* Indian Water Commission to visit Marala to verify water flow data
* Jamaat Ali Shah says his mandate technical in natureBy Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: While rejecting Pakistan’s demand for compensation, India on Friday asserted it had never obstructed the water flow and Pakistan was still getting 55,000-cusec water at its borders. Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah and his Indian counterpart G Ranganathan discussed ways to address the issues over the last two days after Shah inspected the Baglihar power project in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK). Politicising: New Delhi accused Pakistan of ‘politicising a technical issue’ and playing ‘arithmetic gymnastics’, as the talks between the two sides on the reduced water flow in the Chenab River ended ‘inconclusively’. Visit: Both sides, however, agreed to allow the Indian Indus Commission to visit Marala, the Chenab riverhead in Pakistan, to verify water flow data and figures first hand. Rejecting the figures presented by Pakistan in the commission meeting, a senior Indian official said, “Pakistan is using arithmetic gymnastics to prove that India violated provisions of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).” India also rejected Shah’s demand to share data of the Baglihar project on ‘hourly basis’. “We will share data as provided in the IWT. There is no provision in the IWT to share project data on hourly basis,” the Indian official said. While Pakistan refused to admit the talks have ended in a ‘deadlock’, both sides are believed to have decided to refer the issue to the political leadership for ending the stalemate. “As per our data, sufficient quantity of water was made available to Pakistan despite deficiency of water on this side,” the official said. Conceding that differences on the issue exist between the two commissions, Shah said date and information had nevertheless been shared by both sides. Shah said he would file a report to his government. “Since we visited Baglihar project to ascertain the facts on ground, the Indian commissioner has asked to visit the Marala headworks. This visit might be undertaken shortly,” Shah told reporters. He further said the exchange of information was incomplete and the process of talks would continue. Mandate: Answering the Indian charge of the Pakistan commissioner politicising a technical issue, Shah said his mandate was technical in nature and he talked only on technical grounds. He said the issue of compensation had been communicated to the Indian side. “Compensation is an engineering parameter and has to be assessed. We have gathered some data and some more data is required from the Indian side. Pakistan just wants the implementation of IWT to safeguard its water rights,” he said.
Courtesy DailyTimes