Jammu: With the State Government setting a new deadline of May 2007, the commissioning of phase I of the 450 MW Baglihar dam has been delayed by a year.

The project has been a matter of dispute between India and Pakistan. World Bank-appointed Swiss neutral expert Raymond Lafitte is adjudicating on their differences over the design of the dam. The construction started in 1999 when Farooq Abdullah was Chief Minister and the first phase was to be completed by 2004, but the deadline was later changed to June 2006. Now technical problems have arisen. A few days ago Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad called a meeting to review the Baglihar and Dul Hasti power projects, both being constructed on the Chenab in Doda district.

Talking to The Hindu , Power Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said: "While the Dul Hasti project would be commissioned in June 2006, we have been informed that the Baglihar project would be delayed by a year." Massive snow early this year caused excessive flooding during the monsoon. When the snow melted, the dam structure was damaged. Both the diversion tunnels at the site got blocked by landslips in August. "Since there is no let-up in overflowing, the authorities have decided to create a hole with a diameter of six metres for releasing accumulated water. " Moreover, labourers frequently resorted to strikes on wage and related issues, the Minister said.

This is the only mega hydel project of the State Government. The National Hydro Electric Power Corporation owns other major projectsincludingthe Salal hydro power station. It decides the State's share of the total power produced.

On January 18 this year, Pakistan took the construction of the Baglihar dam to the World Bank, which earlier mediated the Indus Water Treaty in September 19, 1960. Pakistan considers the dam construction a violation of the treaty. The treaty gives India waters of the three eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi. Pakistan can use water from the tributaries of the Ravi and the Sutlej for irrigation of up to 45,500 acres of land annually.

Waters of the western rivers — Chenab, Jhelum and Indus — were given to Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir can use waters of the three rivers for non-consumptive purposes and for established and future limited consumption.

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