The three-day annual meeting of the Permanent Indus Water Commission concluded today with India agreeing to respond to Pakistan’s notice on wanting neutral observers on the controversial 450 MW Baglihar Hydroelectric Project on River Chenab.While India has stuck to its stand of trying to finalise the issue bilaterally, Pakistan insists that neutral party mediation is required.‘‘We will respond in due course of time,’’ said A.D. Bharadwaj, Commissioner (Indus), after the meeting today.The bottomline is that India is treading on thin ice as Pakistan, for the first time, has invoked provisions in the treaty that provides for settling disputes through neutral observers since the treaty came into effect from 1960.Pakistan’s Indus Commssioner Jamaat Ali Khan, who is leading a seven-member delegation, said the ‘‘ball was in India’s court, after all the provision for the notice for a third party mediation is within the provisions of the treaty after the Commission fails to resolve it’’.Stating that the ‘‘environment is conducive’’, Khan said there would be no problem in arriving at a decision.Pakistan had raised objections on the Baglihar hydroelectric project four years ago and since then the issue has been a sticking point in annual meetings. In the last meeting in February in Lahore, Pakistan had indicated that they would be asking for neutral experts.After the notice, the 15-day deadline got over last week and now the ball is in India’s court. India is trying to buy time, also they say as per the provisions of the treaty.India has indicated they would once again address the technical objections that Pakistan has on the project.Though the construction work is going on in full swing, Pakistan is objecting to its design and specially the gated spillway which they feel will give India the capability to manipulate the flow of water to Pakistan’s disadvantage.They fear that it will allow India to reduce the flow of water from 8,000 to 7,000 cusecs to Pakistan.The Indian side feels that these fears are unfounded and ‘‘superfluous’’. Apart from this controversial issue, routine agenda matters were taken up like finalising the annual report. There was also discussion on the possibility of two general tours of inspection, one each in either country during 2003-2004 in keeping with the provisions of the treaty.On day two, the two sides will also finalise the dates for site inspection that could not be carried out because of escalated tension in January this year.‘‘The meeting ended cordially and went on in a friendly atmosphere,’’ said Bharadwaj. The treaty, which came into effect retrospectively from April 1, 1960, envisages that the waters of the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi would be utilised by India, the upper riparian state, while Pakistan will use the waters of the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum.
