Feb.15, 2007

Neutral expert upholds Baglihar dam design
S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 14
The Power Minister, Mr Nawang Rigzin Zora, today said the award of the neutral expert of the World Bank, Prof Raymond Lafitte, on the Baglihar hydroelectric project dispute would influence all future interpretations of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that has been a hurdle in harnessing the river waters for power generation.

Mr Zora, in a statement on the issue in the legislative council, said the neutral expert has recognised India's right to utilise the waters of the Western rivers more effectively within the ambit of the IWT for power generation.

This is for the first time since signing of the IWT in 1960 that a neutral expert has been appointed by the World Bank.

He said the overall design of the Baglihar dam built by India on the Chenab as a run-of-river has been upheld by Professor Lafitte. He has emphasised that the IWT does not prevent incorporating state of the art technology for projects for reasons of safety and optimum utilisation of the waters.

During the 18 months' period after his appointment, the expert held five meetings in Paris, Geneva, London and Washington and also visited the Baglihar site and its hydraulic model at Roorkee.

After a detailed analysis of a data base of about 1300 dams from the International Commission of Large dams, he rejected the objection of Pakistan against the construction of the gated spillway and also held that in view of he high flood discharge and heavy silt load, India's design complies with the design criteria set out in the annexure D of the IWT.

The minister observed this important element in the neutral expert's determination will deeply influence all future interpretations of the IWT. The expert has observed that the present day state of scientific and technical knowledge with advances in technology in dam design, not known or developed in 1960, can and should be utilised in dealing with problems such as those posed by heavy sediment which shorten the effective life of a plant.