1. What is the Shahpur Kandi Barrage?
The Shahpur Kandi Barrage is a crucial infrastructure project located on the border of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, India. It is designed for irrigation and hydropower generation.
2. Why was water flow to Pakistan halted?
The completion of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage enabled the diversion of 1,150 cusecs of water from the Ravi River, previously flowing into Pakistan, to be utilized for irrigation purposes in Jammu & Kashmir, in line with the rights accorded under the Indus Water Treaty.
3. What is the significance of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage for India?
The barrage is key to maximizing the utilization of the Ravi River’s waters within Indian territory, supporting irrigation over 32,000 hectares in Kathua and Samba districts, and potentially generating hydropower.
4. How does the Shahpur Kandi Barrage project align with the Indus Water Treaty?
According to the Indus Water Treaty (1960), India has exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers. The Shahpur Kandi Barrage project allows India to fully utilize the Ravi River’s waters, previously underutilized and flowing into Pakistan.
5. What are the benefits of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage?
The barrage is expected to provide significant agricultural benefits through irrigation, enhance water security, and contribute to the economic growth of the region. It also holds potential for hydropower generation.
6. When was the agreement to resume work on the Shahpur Kandi Barrage signed?
An agreement to resume work on the Shahpur Kandi Barrage between Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab was signed on September 8, 2018, marking the end of a 40-year stall in the project’s progress.
7. What challenges did the Shahpur Kandi Barrage face?
The project faced numerous challenges including inter-state disputes, environmental concerns, and funding issues, which led to its suspension for over four decades before finally resuming.
8. How does the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage impact Pakistan?
While it halts the flow of a portion of the Ravi River’s waters to Pakistan, the project is within the rights established by the Indus Water Treaty, focusing on India’s utilization of its share of river waters.
9. What future plans does India have for utilizing its river waters?
India aims to continue developing infrastructure like the Shahpur Kandi Barrage to harness its share of water from the eastern rivers (Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas) for irrigation, drinking, and power generation purposes.
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