​Testing governance, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project, a planned 1.8-GW scheme on the Chenab River, gains renewed focus amidst geopolitical tensions.
• India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) after the Pahalgam terror attack adds strategic importance to the project.
• The project faces concerns regarding environmental impact, compounded sediment loads, and slope instability due to existing hydropower projects.
• The gravity dam at Sawalkote will create a large reservoir, and its cost has increased by ₹9,000 crore due to delays.

Detailed Insights:

• The Union Ministries of Power and Home Affairs emphasize the project's strategic value, seeking exemptions from environmental studies.
• The Chenab River already hosts multiple hydropower projects, creating a "bumper-to-bumper" corridor with cumulative environmental effects.
• Suspending the IWT allows projects like Sawalkote and the Wullar Barrage to proceed, but risks India's credibility regarding treaty adherence.
• Pakistan has challenged the suspension's legality, potentially leading to third-party scrutiny in future negotiations.
• The project's rehabilitation costs are low relative to the number of families being resettled and the amount of forest land being diverted.
• Regional studies and data transparency are needed to manage sediments and build confidence, aligning strategic autonomy with environmental stewardship.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Indus Waters Treaty (IWT): A water-sharing treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960.
• Run-of-river project: A hydroelectric project that utilizes the natural flow of a river without large storage reservoirs.
• Riparian state: A country that shares a river or other body of water with another country.