In order to sort out the Chenab water dispute, India and Pakistan have begun two-day talks at New Delhi. The Chenub water row had cropped up when India recently started its Baglihar hydro-electricity project on Chenab river of Kashmir. The river flows from India to Pakistani territory. Pakistan claimed that the construction of dam on Chenab river reduced the flow of water to its territory. It alleged that by constructing the Baglihar project, India had violated the Indus Water treaty.

 

According to media reports, Pakistan has incurred a loss of more than Rs.40 billion due to the water losses in the river that has affected cultivation in its territory. Pakistan is planning to demand compensation for this massive loss. Before coming to New Delhi, the Pakistani delegation had visited the Baglihar project in Kashmir for assessing the water situation in Chenab river.

 

During his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the sideline of United Nations General Assembly in New York, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari had urged the Indian PM to resolve the river issue immediately. The on-going bilateral talks are the result of that meeting.