India to verify Pakistan claim of short water supply

KARACHI - India will verify Pakistan's assessment of short water supply to Chenab River because of early storage of water into Baglihar Dam. "We have placed the data of short supply of water before the Indian officials during two-day meetings held in New Delhi on Wednesday and Thursday," Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah told The Nation on Sunday.

Pakistan has invited Indian officials to visit Head Marala to make assessment of the release of water into Chenab from the Indian side, he said.

Last month the Indus Water Commission claimed a short release of over 0.2 million cusecs of water into Chenab because of the unscheduled storage of water in Baglihar Dam by India. Shah said he had raised this issue with the concerned Indian officials during meetings held in New Delhi last week and asked them to compensate to Pakistan by releasing the same quantity of water.

He, however, said that the Indian officials wanted verification of the data and assessment of the release of water at Head Marala point of Chenab River.

He dispelled the impression that the bilateral talks were inconclusive and maintained that after the verification of Pakistan's assessment, the Indian authorities would have to increase the release of water as compensation.

Shah said that India can neither divert the flow of Chenab River nor can store water, as laid down by Indus Basin Water Treaty.