Concerns in Kishanganga Dam Project

What is the issue?

In providing security for the Kishanganga dam sabotage is a major concern rather than shelling by Pakistan.

What is the significance of Kishanganga dam?

• Kishanganga dam is located in the Gurez Valley of Bandipora district, north of Srinagar and lies to the north of Wular Lake.
• It is a 330 MW power project, and is expected to generate 1,713 million units per annum by diverting water from Kishanganga River to an underground powerhouse.
• The project is operated by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), will benefit several north Indian states and will provide 12% of its generated power to J&K.
• The presence of this dam in LOC shows India’s confidence in handling any challenge posed by Pakistan.

Why India is confident about the security of the Dam?

• The biggest defence for the dam is its proximity to the villages in Pakistan occupied Kashmir which are located only 10kms downstream of the river, right after the LoC.
• Therefore, any act to destroy the dam would actually pose the greatest danger to Pakistan.
• And with the respect to the Indian villages downstream Kishanganga in Gurez, all six villages were shifted uphill while constructing the dam.
• However, even if the dam is targeted, shelling from across the LoC does not pose any real danger as the dam is located in a gorge and not in the direct line of fire.
• In the event that a shell does hit the dam, it can withstand shelling as it’s a very heavy structure.

What are the concerns of security in the Kishanganga project?

• There is a serious concern of sabotage in the dam by individual or groups, which too would pose same dangers of flooding downstream.
• The river is wide enough to cause huge flooding at a discharge of about 2,000 cumec (cubic metres per second).
• But the extent of damage to the structures and how it will affect the region and consequent power supply are unclear now.

Source: The Indian Express