May 07, 2025 07:51 PM IST
The notification was issued hours before Indian armed forces carried out precision missile strikes on “terrorist infrastructure” at nine sites in Pakistan and PoK
NEW DELHI: The Centre has issued a notification to set up a power transmission system for the proposed 1000 MW Pakal Dul hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir, speeding up processes for what will be the biggest dam on the Indian side of the Indus river system.
The notification is the first major step in commissioning work for the dam, which will be capable of storing water, since India unilaterally suspended the Indus water treaty with Pakistan after terrorists massacred dozens of tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.
The notification was issued on Tuesday, hours before Indian armed forces carried out precision missile strikes on “terrorist infrastructure” at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians two weeks ago.
New Delhi announced a raft of punitive measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the closure of its airspace to Pakistani aircraft, the expulsion of most Pakistani nationals, and the closure of the only operational land border crossing at Attari following the terror attack.
Following up on the announcement, the Union Jal Shakti (water resources) minister CR Patil last month declared that India would “ensure not a drop of water from the Indus rivers reaches Pakistan”.
Alongside, the state-run National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd, the country’s biggest hydropower firm, has begun carrying out reservoir flushing in the Salal and Baglihar dams, being done for the first time since the latter was built in 2008.
“This involves flushing sediments downstream from the reservoirs, which increases flow downstream till the process is completed,” said Sadaman Reddy, a former engineer with the Central Water Commission. Pakistan lies downstream of the Indus rivers.
India did not inform Pakistan about the work at the dams as it no longer adheres to the Indus treaty, a person familiar with the matter said.
