
Strategic shift: JK CM seeks Centre's nod for Tulbul barrage and Chenab lift project; Indus Waters Treaty suspension opens window
Omar Abdullah
has urged the Centre to clear two long-pending water infrastructure projects—the Tulbul Navigation Barrage in north Kashmir and a Chenab River water-lifting scheme for Jammu—after New Delhi suspended the 1960
Indus Waters Treaty
(IWT) in response to Pakistan-aided terrorism.
The Centre's move came in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. As part of a broader retaliatory package, the government placed the IWT in abeyance, freeing India to explore new water management projects on rivers otherwise reserved for Pakistan.
India is entitled to full use of waters from the eastern rivers—Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi—totalling about 33 million acre-feet (MAF), while Pakistan has rights over the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, which together carry 135 MAF annually.
In an interview to PTI, Abdullah reiterated his long-standing opposition to the IWT, calling it 'the most unfair document ever imposed on the people of Jammu and Kashmir'. As former Minister of State for External Affairs, he has consistently argued that the treaty handicapped the region's ability to store water and mandated that all power projects remain 'run of the river'.
'We can't suddenly build power projects and start storing water,' Abdullah said.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
20 Pieces of Clothing Older Women should Avoid
womentales.com
Learn More
Undo
'It will take time before the benefits of the Indus Waters Treaty start flowing to us.'
He said the state is now focused on 'medium-term projects that can begin immediately,' starting with the revival of the Tulbul Navigation Barrage—also known as the Wullar Barrage—at Sopore in north Kashmir. The proposed installation of drop gates at the barrage would regulate water levels in the Jhelum River, aiding both navigation and winter power generation at downstream hydroelectric stations like Lower Jhelum and Uri.
'This project will not only facilitate navigation but also enable us to generate more electricity in winter,' the chief minister said.
Originally approved in 1986, the Tulbul project was halted in 1987 after Pakistani objections. India revived work after the 2016 Uri attack, but efforts to negotiate its status failed as Pakistan refused to engage during five rounds of Permanent Indus Commission talks between 2017 and 2022.
India maintains that the project complies with the IWT, as it does not store water for consumptive use and qualifies as a non-consumptive regulating structure.
The second proposal—the Chenab Water Supply Scheme—aims to address mounting water stress in Jammu city. Abdullah said the Chenab River, which runs near Akhnoor, could serve as a long-term source for Jammu's drinking water.
'This project could feed Jammu for the next two to three decades,' he said, adding that 'we have already had the conversation' with the Centre and that a senior advisor to the Prime Minister had recently visited the Union territory to review both the Tulbul and Chenab proposals.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has also sought permission to engage international funding agencies for the Chenab project, which would lift water from the river and distribute it across the district to meet growing demand.
Jammu, the region's winter capital, currently depends on the Tawi River—a tributary that eventually joins the Chenab in Pakistan—for its drinking water. With the Tawi's capacity falling short, the administration sees the Chenab lift scheme as a vital alternative.
Stay informed with the latest
business
news, updates on
bank holidays
and
public holidays
.
AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Over 90% of border habitations in NE get mobile network: Centre
1 2 Guwahati: Among the 5,200 villages and habitations situated in the northeastern border regions, 4,696 now have access to mobile network, the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. This accounts for mobile connectivity achieved in over 90 per cent of the remote border villages and habitations of the northeast. Replying to a question by Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba, Union minister of state for communications and rural development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar told the House that all 1,237 border villages and habitations in Assam have achieved complete mobile connectivity. In Sikkim, too, all 68 border villages and habitations have come under mobile network. However, Arunachal Pradesh, characterised by its challenging topography, continues to face connectivity issues, with 337 out of 1,502 border villages and habitations still without mobile coverage. The govt allocated Rs 1,775.53 crore through various Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) schemes between FY 2020-21 and FY 2024-25 to enhance mobile network infrastructure in the remote northeastern areas. The minister replied that mobile coverage for any uncovered inhabited villages is provided by the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) based on techno-commercial viability. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beyond Text Generation: An AI Tool That Helps You Write Better Grammarly Install Now Undo "The Centre, through funding from Digital Bharat Nidhi, is implementing various schemes for the expansion of telecom connectivity through the installation of mobile towers in the rural, remote, and border areas of the country," Sekhar said. Regarding Sikkim particularly, he said as of June, 11 sites were commissioned in Sikkim under DBN-funded mobile schemes, providing mobile coverage to 13 villages, including border areas. Statistics revealed that Arunachal Pradesh has the highest number of border villages and habitations (1,502), of which 1,165 have got mobile coverage. Meghalaya has the second highest number of border villages and habitations (1,272), of which 1,238 have mobile coverage. While 365 of Mizoram's 378 border villages and habitations got mobile coverage, the minister said, adding 194 of Manipur's 263 border villages and habitations got mobile coverage so far. In Nagaland, 96 out of 135, in Sikkim, all 68, and in Tripura, 333 of the 345 border villages and habitations have mobile coverage.


Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
MP calls for delisting converted tribal people from ST category
1 2 3 Jaipur: In a significant move, Udaipur MP Mannalal Rawat has brought attention to a controversial demand in the Lok Sabha, calling for the removal of religious converts from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. Speaking in Lok Sabha Monday, the BJP MP advocated for applying the same criteria to STs as currently applicable to Scheduled Castes (SCs), where conversion to non-Hindu faiths leads to disqualification from constitutional benefits. Rawat, who has strong ties with the RSS-affiliated Janjati Suraksha Manch (JSM), highlighted what he termed a "legal loophole" that has persisted for 75 years. Quoting studies and reports, Rawat said converted tribals continue to receive reservation benefits in education, employment and welfare schemes despite abandoning traditional tribal customs and practices. "This is a direct blow to the rights of genuine tribal communities in Udaipur, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh and across the country. Limited resources are being diverted to those who no longer preserve tribal identity, weakening socio-economic development efforts," he told TOI. Referring to Article 342 of the Constitution, which governs Scheduled Tribes, Rawat noted that currently does not include any disqualification clause related to religious conversion. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo The MP, who took voluntary retirement from a Rajasthan govt service to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, alleged that Christian missionaries and other groups have been conducting forced conversions in tribal areas through financial inducements. "They have devised a formula: change your belief system but not your legal identity. This poses a serious threat to tribal culture and traditions," Rawat said. According to the 2011 Census, Rajasthan has approximately 97,000 Christians, primarily concentrated in Jaipur, Ajmer, Dungarpur and Banswara. As a key strategist for JSM's nationwide campaign, Rawat has been instrumental in organising rallies and outreach programs across several states with significant tribal populations, including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Rawat was hand-picked by senior RSS members from Udaipur to address several long-pending issues, including the contentious demand for the de-listing of converted tribal people from Scheduled Tribe benefits. The demand for de-listing converted tribal people has been a long-standing agenda of RSS-affiliated organisations, though it faces complex constitutional and social implications.


Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Assembly may hold spl session on ‘targeting' of Bengalis
Kolkata/New Delhi: Bengal assembly is likely to convene a special session on the alleged discrimination against Bengali-speaking migrants in different states. A source said Trinamool Congress MPs on Wednesday submitted notices in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, demanding discussion on the alleged targeting of Bengali-speakers. Notices have also been submitted to take up the issue of the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, which is taking place in Bihar and will be extended to other states. According to sources in the parliamentary office, the special assembly session may run from Aug 8 to Aug 21. In addition to the proposal concerning migrant workers, four important bills may also be presented. Talks are on between the parliamentary and legal departments on this matter. Once drafts of the bills are finalised, speaker Biman Banerjee will officially announce the session. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The steps coincide with Trinamool announcing that CM Mamata Banerjee would hit the streets in Birbhum as part of state-wide protests, which start on on July 27 and will be held every Saturday and Sunday. The CM had announced the plan for the protests at Martyrs' Day rally on July 21. Speaking to reporters, party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said: "Who gives BJP the right to say that Bengalis are Bangladeshis? Why are they stoking the fire? Britishers may have introduced divide and rule, but it is BJP that is implementing it now. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo They are dividing society, they are dividing people. In 1947, Britishers were driven out; in 2026, BJP will be driven out of Bengal, and then India." "This is sheer anger and vengeance by BJP for being politically routed in Bengal repeatedly," he added. "If the police in BJP-governed states are not accepting Aadhaar, PAN and even EPIC, then why is the Centre issuing them in the first place? These BJP-run states are demanding proof by seeking birth certificates of parents. Can BJP netas in Bengal, or those in BJP-governed states, provide birth certificates themselves?" Ghosh said.