Water expert informs António Guterres...: India unveils plans for 10MW hydropower projects in Ladakh

ISLAMABAD: India, under its master plan to block the mighty Indus River’s flow that begins in Ladakh, a disputed territory under UN resolution, has unveiled plans for 10MW hydropower projects in Ladakh, including Achinthang-Sanjak, Parfila, Sunit (Batalik), and Khalsti.

These projects not only violate the storage capacities allowed under the treaty but also raise grave concerns about the diversion and reduction of water flow into Pakistan.

The purpose of these projects, it seems, is to provide heating and energy facilities for troops stationed on the frozen expanse of the Siachen Glacier — while the poor, marginalised people of Ladakh are left in the cold, this has been unearthed in a letter from Arshad H Abbasi, an eminent water expert of Pakistan with headline of ‘A Humanitarian Crisis in the Making: The Indus Waters Treaty and India’s Actions’ to António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations.

Abbasi says in his letter: “Under the provisions of the IWT, India is permitted to store up to 0.25 million acre-feet (MAF) of water for general and power storage in Ladakh. But in a shocking disregard for these limits, India has developed plans that far exceed these allowances. Over the years, India has constructed hydropower projects in Ladakh, including Nimoo Bazgo and Chutak, with capacities of 45MW and 44MW, respectively, to serve not the people of Ladakh but the Indian Army’s XIV Corps. Established in 1999, this massive military deployment operates in the Kargil-Leh area, supported by residential colonies, military airports such as the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, and the Thoise Airbase near the colossal Siachen Glacier.”

Abbasi drew the attention of Secretary General saying that this cruel and heartless act by India is nothing short of a death sentence for Pakistan. But it is not merely that — it signifies the end of an era, the demise of the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the most ancient and enduring civilizations in all of human history. The sacred Indus River, immortalised by the Greeks in 325BC under Alexander the Great and revered by ancient Iranians as “Sindhu,” meaning “river” in Sanskrit, has been a lifeline for countless generations.

He requested for an investigation into how the UNFCCC, a crucial organ of the UN, awarded carbon credits to India for the controversial Nimoo Bazgo and Chutak hydropower projects. “Both projects are located on the Indus River in Ladakh, and both were undertaken without prior consultation with Pakistan or the required transboundary assessment.”

Even more alarming, he said, is India’s construction of a 45-kilometer inland water transport route on the Indus in Ladakh, stretching from Upshi village to Shey village (NW-46).

“The question is not whether Ladakh needs such projects but why they are being pursued at all. Ladakh is sparsely populated, with a population that suffers from severe energy losses during transmission. In winter, the Indus often freezes, rendering these hydropower projects ineffective. Yet, Ladakh has over 300 sunny days each year and enormous potential for solar energy. Leh, Ladakh’s capital, enjoys an average daily solar output of 5.29 kWh/kWp—far exceeding Delhi’s 4.0 kWh/kWp. But instead of harnessing this renewable wealth, India has chosen hydropower and water transport projects for reasons that serve an agenda of domination, not development.”

Abbasi called upon the United Nations to take swift action to reinstate the Indus Waters Treaty.