US-IWT 2LST

The report said the drive to meet energy demand through
hydropower development is occurring in India and Pakistan, two
countries that lack sufficient access to energy.
This is particularly true with respect to India, which
faces a rapidly expanding population, growing economy and
soaring energy needs.
To meet growing demand and cope with increasing
electricity shortages, the government has developed plans to
expand power generation through the construction of
multipurpose dams.
"India has 33 projects at various stages of completion on
the rivers that affect this region," the report said adding
that the number of dams under construction and their
management is a source of significant bilateral tension.
"Currently, the most controversial dam project is the
proposed 330-megawatt dam on the Kishenganga River, a
tributary of the Indus.
While studies show that no single dam along the waters
controlled by the Indus Waters Treaty will affect Pakistan's
access to water, the cumulative effect of these projects could
give India the ability to store enough water to limit the
supply to Pakistan at crucial moments in the growing season,"
the report said.
"In the difficult 60-plus year bilateral relationship,
water has not yet been used in this way. However, staff met
with some experts that argue the treaty's long-term stability
is threatened by a lack of trust between these two countries.
Any perceived reduction in water flows magnifies this
distrust, whether caused by India's activities in the Indus
Basin or climate change," it said.
According to the report, US cannot expect this region to
continue to avoid "water wars" in perpetuity.
"In South Asia, the Indus Waters Treaty has been the
primary vehicle for resolving conflicts over the shared waters
between India and Pakistan.
It is a prescriptive agreement that has recently been
criticized for its inflexibility to adjust to changes in water
levels," it said.
"Experts are now questioning whether the IWT can adapt to
these changes, especially when new demands for the use of the
river flows from irrigation and hydroelectric power are
fueling tensions between India and Pakistan.
A breakdown in the treaty's utility in resolving water
conflicts could have serious ramifications for regional
stability," the report said. PTI LKJ
AVT


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