Sediment flushing at Kashmir dams without notifying Pakistan: Report

New Delhi: India has initiated a reservoir flushing operation at two key hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir, marking the first major activity outside the framework of the Indus Waters Treaty since its inception in 1960. The move follows heightened tensions with Pakistan and the suspension of a long-standing water-sharing arrangement last month.

According to a Reuters report citing three sources with knowledge of the matter, the operations began on May 1 at the Salal and Baglihar hydropower projects on the Chenab River. The process, intended to remove sediment buildup, was carried out by state-run NHPC Ltd in coordination with authorities in the union territory.

“This is the first time such an exercise has taken place and will help in more efficient power generation and prevent damage to turbines,” one of the sources told Reuters, requesting anonymity.

Residents living downstream confirmed that water was released from the dams over three consecutive days, starting Thursday. “We were also asked to open the adjustable gates for cleaning,” said a source directly involved in the operation. “The intention was to remove constraints on dam operations.”

India did not notify Pakistan before beginning the flushing work — a requirement under the Indus Waters Treaty, which had previously restricted such activities at the two dams, commissioned in 1987 and 2008/09 respectively.

The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, allocates control over the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India, while Pakistan is entitled to unrestricted use of the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab), which flow through India before reaching Pakistani territory.

Last month, New Delhi suspended the data-sharing provisions of the pact after an attack in Kashmir killed 26 people. Indian officials alleged that two of the three attackers were Pakistani nationals. Islamabad has denied involvement and warned that halting or diverting river flows would be seen as an “act of war”.

“Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan... will be considered an act of war,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated.

Though the current operation may not cause an immediate reduction in water flow to Pakistan, analysts warn that more such actions could have broader implications, especially if undertaken at other projects in the region.

“There are over half a dozen hydropower projects in this area that could be used for similar activities,” one source noted. “Flushing is not a common thing because it leads to a lot of water wastage. Downstream countries are expected to be informed if it leads to inundation.”

Power generation at both Salal (690 MW) and Baglihar (900 MW) has reportedly suffered due to silt accumulation, a problem attributed in part to restrictions under the treaty.

India’s Water Resources Ministry has not commented officially. NHPC Ltd also did not respond to emailed queries from Reuters.

Kushvinder Vohra, former chairman of India’s Central Water Commission, said the suspension of the treaty’s operational clauses gives India more autonomy. “We can now pursue our projects at free will,” he said, citing his past involvement in negotiations over Indus River disputes. India has pushed to renegotiate aspects of the 1960 treaty in recent years. Disagreements over projects such as Kishenganga and Ratle have been contested at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration has previously stated its intention to maximise water use under India’s share of the rivers. “We will ensure not a single drop of the Indus River’s water reaches Pakistan,” the country’s water minister had declared earlier.