India stops flow of Ravi river to Pakistan, diverts water to J&K and Punjab: report

India has reportedly stopped the flow of the Ravi river water to Pakistan after the completion of Shahpur Kandi barrage, a major irrigation and hydroelectric project bordering Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

With the completion of the multipurpose dam, built at a cost of Rs 3,300 crores (Revised cost), around 1150 cusecs of irrigation water would be diverted to the J&K and over 5000 cusecs of water to Punjab. Apart from that, it will also generate about 206 MW of electricity. 

According to Kashmir-based Daily Excelsior newspaper, the Indian authorities will make maximum use of Ravi river by diverting it to Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab to boost agriculture productivity under the Indus Water River Treaty. The river earlier used to flow towards Pakistan from the old Lakhanpur dam.

The treaty, signed in 1960, allows India to use the western river waters for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive use such as power generation, navigation, floating of property, fish culture, etc.

Notably, the move to redirect Ravi River doesn't violate the agreement, as India has control over the three eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej. While Pakistan has control over the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum.

The treaty gives India 20% of the water from the Indus River System and the rest 80% to Pakistan.

The dam project began in 1995 under former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao's administration. But it encountered several hurdles, primarily due to disputes between the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

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