As India-Pakistan tensions escalate, the Narendra Modi government is taking steps to enhance the storage capacity at two hydroelectric facilities in Kashmir’s Himalayan region, according to sources familiar with the situation who spoke to Reuters. This action follows India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty agreement after recent tensions with Pakistan.
This development marks India’s first concrete action operating outside the framework of the Indus Waters Treaty, an agreement that has remained intact since 1960, despite three wars and various conflicts between the two nuclear-armed nations.
Following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, New Delhi suspended the Indus Waters Treaty last month. This agreement has ensured water supply to 80% of Pakistani agricultural lands.
“Reservoir flushing” operations to clear sediment started on Thursday, undertaken jointly by state-owned NHPC Ltd and Jammu and Kashmir authorities, according to the Reuters report.
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Whilst immediate impact on Pakistan’s water supply might be limited, future effects could materialise if similar initiatives are implemented at other facilities. The region houses more than six such projects.
India conducted maintenance operations at the Salal and Baglihar hydroelectric projects without notifying Pakistan.
The maintenance activities commenced on May 1 and continued for three days. A source was quoted in the report as saying, “This is the first time such an exercise has taken place and will help in more efficient power generation and prevent damage to turbines.” They further mentioned opening adjustable gates for cleaning purposes from May 1, aiming to operate the dams without constraints.
Residents dwelling along the Chenab river in Jammu & Kashmir observed water discharge from both Salal and Baglihar dams between Thursday and Saturday.
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The process of clearing hydropower projects involves almost draining a reservoir to remove accumulated sediments, which significantly reduces power generation efficiency.
As reported by two sources, the 690-MegaWatt Salal facility operated much below its potential due to Pakistan’s opposition to sediment removal, whilst the 900-MW Baglihar facility also saw reduced output because of silt accumulation.
“Flushing is not a common thing because it leads to a lot of water wastage,” said one of the sources. “Downstream countries are expected to be informed in case it leads to any inundation.”
