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India has marked the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage on the Ravi River, stopping the water flow to Pakistan, and signifying a strategic shift in water management on February 25, 2024, according to various media reports. This long-awaited project, overcoming delays spanning over three decades, now redirects 1,150 cusecs of water towards irrigation purposes in the Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir. This development is reportedly going to bolster agricultural opportunities in the region while also marking a significant change in water allocation in India.
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This will translate into the Jammu and Kashmir region now benefitting from the 1150 cusecs of water that was previously allocated to Pakistan. The water is expected to be utilised for irrigation purposes, benefiting over 32,000 hectares of land in the Kathua and Samba districts. The Shahpur Kandi Barrage is a dam on the Ravi River in Pathankot district, Punjab, India.
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Previously, under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, a portion of the Ravi River’s water flowed into Pakistan via the Lakhanpur dam. However, the Shahpur Kandi Barrage effectively ceases this flow, allowing India to fully utilize its allocated share of the river’s resources. This move aligns with the treaty, which grants India exclusive control over the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers, while Pakistan manages the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
In 2018, December the Central government approved the Shahpurkandi Dam project on the River Ravi in Punjab.
The Shahpur Kandi Barrage project was incepted in the 1950s, but construction did not begin until 1992. The project was originally supposed to be completed in 2002, but it was delayed due to many factors, including funding issues, land acquisition problems, and environmental concerns. The project was finally completed in 2022.
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Published: 25 Feb 2024, 02:17 PM IST
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