1 week Ago By Apoorva Shukla
A sudden rise in the Jhelum river’s water level reportedly created a flood-like situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This comes just days after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty over cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead. Alerts were issued across Muzaffarabad and Chakothi in PoK on Saturday, reported IANS.
Locals alleged that water was released from the Indian side without any prior warning. According to the report, people living along the Jhelum river in Chakothi, Muzaffarabad, Hattian Bala, Ghari Dupatta and Majhoi were asked to move to safer locations. Flood-warning announcements were made from mosques in these areas, the report said.
"The warning announcements have created panic among the residents living near the riverbanks," said one resident of Ghari Dupatta, as quoted by the news agency. “We had no warning. The water came rushing in, and we’re struggling to protect lives and property,” said Muhammad Asif, a resident of Dumel village.
District authorities in Muzaffarabad issued advisories asking residents to stay away from the riverbanks, the report stated. However, there is no official statement on the issue yet. This comes after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.
As India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan is staring at a worsening water crisis, affected by climate change, poor resource management, and rising demand. Meanwhile, India is planning to undertake a study to look into ways to maximise the use of the quantum of water from the three rivers -Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - that Pakistan had earlier used under the Indus Water Treaty. After Friday's high-level meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil asserted that the government is working on a strategy to ensure that not a single drop of water flows into Pakistan.
Under the World Bank-brokered treaty, India was granted exclusive rights to the water of the eastern rivers -- the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi -- amounting to an average annual flow of about 33 million acre-feet (MAF). The water of the western rivers -- the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab -- with an average annual flow of around 135 MAF, were largely allocated to Pakistan. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
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