Arbitration team visits Kashmir power project site

June 18th, 2011 - 2:47 pm ICT by IANS  

Srinagar, June 18 (IANS) An India-Pakistan arbitration team left here Saturday for north Kashmir’s Bandipora district to inspect the site of the upcoming Kishenganga hydro power project, an official said.

“The 19-member team arrived here yesterday (Friday) and would inspect the Kishenganga hydro power project site after Pakistan raised objections against the construction of the project close to the LoC (Line of Control),” an official told IANS, declining to be named.

The Kishenganga river is called Neelam after it passes into Pakistan-administered part of divided Kashmir from Gurez sub-division in Bandipora.

The objection to the construction of the project has been raised by Pakistan under the terms and conditions of the Indus Water Treaty signed by the two countries in 1960.

According to the treaty, India can construct only run-of-the-river hydro power projects on those rivers of Jammu and Kashmir which finally flow into Pakistan.

The treaty says that no water storage dams for hydro power generation or irrigation beyond a certain height can be constructed by India on rivers in Jammu and Kashmir.

While Indus Water commissioner G. Aranganathan heads the ten-member Indian component, his Pakistan counterpart, Sheraz Jamil Memon, heads the nine-member complement of his country in the arbitration team.

The team would conclude its visit to the Valley June 20.

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