Jammu: Asserting that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was a “historic mistake”, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said its “termination” is a befitting response to Pakistan and will ensure immense benefits to Jammu and Kashmir, which will be able to harness its real hydro power potential.
“India has made it clear that blood and water cannot flow together, terror and talks cannot go together and terror and trade cannot happen together,” the LG said.
“Termination of the IWT is a befitting response to Pakistan and it will have far-reaching consequences since it is dependent on the Indus River system,” he added.
According to an official handout, releasing a monograph ‘Indus Water Treaty-Mirroring the Facts’ by Sant Kumar Sharma here, the LG congratulated the author on his remarkable work to bring out various historical aspects of this treaty.
Addressing the function, Sinha said the thoughtful and timely monograph offers interesting insights on the IWT with Pakistan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “decisive move to terminate the treaty post Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror attack” on April 22 that left 26 persons dead.
The LG said the historic step has marked a new beginning and reiterated the Government of India’s commitment to utilize the nation’s water exclusively for the benefit of its citizens.
“India’s water will now flow within India and remain in India. With the termination of the IWT, we now have full control over the Jhelum and Chenab rivers,” said Sinha, adding its termination will ensure immense benefit to Jammu and Kashmir, which will be able to harness its real hydro power potential.
“The barren areas of Jammu can be irrigated and there will be new momentum in the development of infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
The LG said India will now create infrastructure, power plants and diversion to new areas with proper infrastructure to use the water and it will enable construction of new reservoirs.
Citing a debate in Parliament in November 1960 and the statements of prominent leaders in the House, he said that the IWT was a “historical mistake, unfair, one-sided” and hampered infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir and restricted growth of development projects.
Sinha also paid tributes to the civilians, who were martyred in the Pahalgam terror attack and reiterated his resolve to honour and deliver justice to the terror victims of Jammu and Kashmir.
“No terror victim families will be left behind. It is being ensured that family members, who have been waiting for justice for decades, will receive jobs, financial assistance and necessary hand-holding. Their culprits will not be spared,” the LG said.
“The properties of terror victims which were encroached by the terrorists or terror sympathisers will be vacated soon,” he added.
