NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the decision to sign the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, disclosing that the water-sharing pact signed by first PM Jawaharlal Nehru had a clause which required India not to carry out desilting of dams, with the gates of one of them welded to prevent any accidental opening up.“The country will be shocked to learn that these facts have been hidden and suppressed. Whenever a dam is built, there is a mechanism for cleaning it, for desilting, as silt and other debris reduce its capacity. Nehru agreed to a condition from Pakistan that the silt and debris accumulating in these dams could not be cleaned. Our dams, our water, but Pakistan’s decision. There’s even a dam where the desilting gate has been welded shut to prevent accidental opening. Pakistan had Nehru write that India would not clean the silt from its dams without Pakistan’s consent. This agreement was against the country, and Nehru later admitted the mistake,” Modi said in Lok Sabha Tuesday.He said that Nehru acknowledged the mistake to Nirajan Das Gulati, who was involved with the agreement. “Nehru told him that he hoped the treaty would open the way for solving other problems, but they were still where they started. Nehru was only able to see the immediate effects, but the truth is that this agreement set the country back significantly, harming our farmers and agriculture. Nehru’s diplomacy didn’t consider existence of farmers,” Modi said.
Poll
Should India consider revising or renegotiating the Indus Waters Treaty?
After the Pahalgam massacre, India had suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and has begun desilting exercise, apart from drawing up plans to channel the water to Rajasthan and Gujarat through a network of canals. The welded gate is, however, preventing agencies from undertaking complete desilting of the dam.Hitting out at Congress for signing the agreement and mortgaging national interest, the PM said: “These rivers have been a part of India’s cultural heritage for thousands of years, contributing significantly to making India fertile and prosperous… The Indus Waters Treaty was a direct betrayal of India’s identity and pride… He agreed to give 80% of the water from these rivers, originating from India, to Pakistan, leaving this vast country with only 20%. Can someone explain the rationale, what was the national interest, where was diplomacy?”He said that the water, which rightfully belonged to India, was given to Pakistan and created a water crisis and conflict among the states. “If this treaty had not been signed, several major projects could have been built over the western rivers. Farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi would have ample water, and there would be no drinking water issues. India could have generated electricity for industrial progress. Not only that, Nehru also gave millions of rupees to Pakistan for canal construction,” he said.
