Reasi (Jammu and Kashmir): Authorities closed all gates of the Salal Dam on the Chenab River, resulting in a significant drop in water levels in the district. Meanwhile, water continued to flow from the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project Dam in Ramban, indicating recent fluctuating water levels on the river.
BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, asserting that the decision reflected the “muscular Modi Doctrine” and a firm stance against terrorism. He emphasized, “Water and the blood of our citizens cannot flow together,” linking the dam’s closure to India’s broader strategic interests.
Local residents expressed support for the move, with Dinesh stating, “We are happy that the government has stopped the flow of water to Pakistan. Pakistan deserves a fitting reply for its actions, including the killing of tourists in Pahalgam.” Another local called the move a “big achievement,” reiterating widespread backing for the government’s decisions.
The water level of the Chenab River increased on May 2 following heavy rainfall in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, on April 28, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami praised the Indian government’s decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. He remarked, “Blood and water can’t flow together,” emphasizing India’s strategic resolve.
The 1960 treaty, brokered by the World Bank after nine years of negotiations, allocates the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India. The treaty allows limited use of these waters by each country, with India entitled to 20% of the water from the Indus River System.
This move comes in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, the most severe since the 2019 Pulwama incident. Following the attack, India has taken tough measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, to counteract its support of cross-border terrorism.