(a) whether the Government has any proposal to construct a dam on Wullar Lake to overcome the discharge of water Jhelum;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Pakistan has objected to the proposal; and
(d) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this direction?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV)
(a) & (b) The construction of Tulbal Navigation Project,
comprising mainly a navigation lock and a regulating
structure, below the Wullar Lake was started by the
Government of J&K in 1984. The Project is designed to
facilitate round the year navigation in the river Jhelum
between Srinagar and Baramulla. It envisages regulating the
depletion from the natural storage of the Wullar Lake so as
to maintain a minimum draft of 4.5 ft. (1.37 m)
corresponding to a discharge of 4,000 cusecs (113.27 cumecs)
below the Lake in the Jhelum river during the winter months
(October- February). During this period, the river normally
carries a discharge of only 2,000 cusecs (56.63 cumecs)
giving a water depth of 2.5 ft. (0.76 m) or less which is
not sufficient for navigation.
(c) & (d) Whereas the Indus Waters Treaty allows the non-
consumptive use of waters of the Western Rivers (Indus,
Jhelum & Chenab), including control or use of water of the
Jhelum Main for navigation, provided the water, undiminished
in volume, is returned to the same river and is not
prejudicial to the use of Pakistan, Pakistan objected to the
Project stating that it involves storage and that India is
not permitted any storage on the Jhelum Main and as such,
the Project is in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.
The work on the Project was suspended by India with
effect from October 2, 1987 as a pre-condition of Pakistan
for Government level talks. The Project has remained
suspended till date.
As a part of the on-going Composite Dialogue between
India and Pakistan, Secretary-level talks on this Project
were held at Islamabad on July 29-30, 2004. During the
talks, which were held in a cordial and constructive
atmosphere, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the
Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. It was agreed that the
discussions would continue at the next round of the dialogue
process with a view to finding a solution to the issue
consistent with the provisions of the Treaty.