New Delhi: In a significant development, the flow of water from the Ravi river to Pakistan has been completely halted with the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage, according to media reports. The Shahpur Kandi barrage, situated on the border of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, is set to bring substantial benefits to the region.
This move means that the Jammu and Kashmir region will now utilize the 1150 cusecs of water that was previously allocated to Pakistan. The water will be directed towards irrigation, benefiting over 32,000 hectares of land in the Kathua and Samba districts.
The Shahpur Kandi barrage project, crucial for both irrigation and hydropower generation, has faced challenges over the past three decades but is now nearing completion. The Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960 grants India exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers. With the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage, India can make optimal use of the Ravi river’s water resources.
The foundation stone for the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project was laid by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1995. Despite facing disputes between the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, leading to a suspension for over four and a half years, the project is now on the brink of realization.
India has previously constructed various storage works, including the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas, and Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi. These, along with other projects, have enabled India to utilize nearly its entire share (95%) of the waters from the eastern rivers.
However, approximately 2 million acre-feet of water from the Ravi river continued to flow unutilized to Pakistan below Madhopur. With the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage, India is poised to harness the water resources from the Ravi river, contributing to agricultural and economic growth in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
