New Delhi, Sep 26
India on Monday looked set at firming up its tough stance against Pakistan on the issue of terror, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that "Blood and water cannot flow together", at a meeting to review the Indus Waters Treaty with the neighbour.
Modi is reported to have said this at a meeting he chaired in the morning with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, and other senior officials, informed sources said.
The Prime Minister's statement comes two days after he said at a public meeting in Kozhikode in Kerala that the country will not forget the sacrifices of the 18 soldiers killed in the September 18 terror attack in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. India has said the four militants were from Pakistan, a claim Islamabad has denied.
At the meeting, it was also decided that an inter-ministerial commission would be set up to go into various provisions of the bilateral treaty that was signed in Karachi on September 19,1960, out of Pakistan's apprehension that since the source of rivers of the Indus basin are in India, it could potentially create drought and famine in Pakistan during times of war.
The meeting also decided to look at the full utilisation of the waters of the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum, the three western rivers of the Indus water system that flow through Jammu and Kashmir, and is mostly utilised by Pakistan.
Around 95 percent of the waters of the three eastern rivers of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi is being utilised by India.
Relations between India and Pakistan have nosedived over Islamabad raking up the Kashmir issue at international fora and for its open backing of the current unrest in the valley that has seen 90 people killed in clashes with security forces since July 9. Islamabad's support for Hizbul Mujahedin commander Burhan Wani, over whose killing Pakistan observed a 'black day', has added to souring of relations.
New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) India may not break the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan but will soon start utilising its full share of water which would affect the neighbouring country to a large extent as it was being given to it till now, a source said here on Monday.
"We are entitled to take 3.6 million acre feet (MAF) water under the arrangement. The government is considering to start utilising it," a government official told the media.
According to the official, India was not using its share of water till date and it was being given to Pakistan instead, but now New Delhi is thinking of using its full share to irrigate agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir.
"India can generate 18,000 MW of power by using allowed amount of water but generates only 3,000 MW of power as of now," he said, adding that if New Delhi accumulates 3.6 million MAF water, according to the treaty, it has to release just 0.5 million MAF to Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, discussed the Indus Waters Treaty according to which India has control over three eastern rivers -- Beas, Ravi and Sutlej -- all flowing from Punjab, while Pakistan controls the western rivers -- the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum that flow from Jammu and Kashmir.
Shashi Shekhar, Secretary, Water Resources Ministry, gave a presentation on the treaty signed between the two neighbouring nations in 1960.
Jammu and Kashmir has also been demanding a review of the treaty as it robs the state of its right to use the water of the rivers.
The meeting was held in the wake of the September 18 terror attack in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir by four terrorists which left 18 soldiers dead. The terrorists reportedly belonged to the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group based in Pakistan.
