This is very clear to all of us: the devastating floods, first in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and now in Punjab this Monsun season is extreme weather events. So why do we hear people repeatedly mention that Pakistan accuses India of making it worse by dumping its excess water in our rivers?
To understand how Dam Water Release works, Express Pakinomist talked to several experts.
Dr. Hassaan F Khan, an urban water expert at Tufts University, explained that each dam has two main systems: ordinary release gates and wastage roads. The regular gates are used for water supply needs, such as agriculture, and are considered normal releases. “But when a dam fills with its maximum capacity, water cannot be retained due to the risk of structural damage,” he said. “At that time the emissions open to release the extra water. If not, the dam could collapse.”
According to Dr. Hassaan released India water from several dams in recent days when they had reached their capacity. “That’s what the Indian side claims,” he said. “Although Pakistan cannot verify this directly, it makes sense in view of the context. Such releases are not unusual.”
Both extreme rainfall and weather played a role in this year’s flood in the region. “India saw record -breaking rain, especially in Himachal Pradesh, which sent large streams of water into rivers,” he said. “India was also forced to release water into Sutlej and Ravi. Prime Minister Modi had previously said that India would not even allow a drop of water from these rivers to flow into Pakistan, but when storage is impossible, the water must be rinsed out. They prefer to store water for use in low current season in November and December.”
In response to our questions, Dr. Hassaan that there is no evidence that India deliberately released water to damage Pakistan. “Speculation is possible, but we have never found evidence of intentional act,” he said. “Since the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, India no longer shares detailed data as before. Now only short messages are sent through the Indian High Commissioner, which is inadequate compared to previous agreements. The early warning system is much weaker now.”
Muhammad Umer Karim, a senior scientist and specialist in the water resource, explained the natural hydrology or water system cycle for this area as a background. “In our region freezes water in winter like ice and glaciers, and then thaws in the summer. Combined with monsoon rain, this river streams increase. Melting glaciers add to this volume. Spillways are opened only when dams are full. For the rest of the year, water gradually led out through channels to drink and watering. eastern river. “
Environmental Attorney Ahmed Rafay Alam pointed out that dam infrastructure on both sides is “essentially the same”. India has three large dams at Jhelum, Beas and Ravi. Pakistan has a shortage and tarbela dams. “Both countries store monsoon and glacier water for winter crops, and both sets of dams were built by American companies. Their designs and operations are essentially the same.”
This year, however, the situation became critical. “The Pong Dam on Beas, the Bhakra Dam on Sutlej near Himachal Pradesh, and Madhopur -The main work at Ravi reached dangerous levels between August 23 and 25,” he said. “To protect the infrastructure, India opened wastage roads, and some gates in the Madshopur barrier even collapsed due to the water pressure and caused a death. This is what we call a ‘controlled release’ of water.”
Alam said that in India the dam’s power production is controlled by the federal government, but irrigation and domestic water supply are a provincial responsibility. Therefore, he believes that New Delhi could have handled the crisis better. “Thein Dam at Ravi is in Punjab State, where Congress is strong,” he said. “The BJP-led federal government did not shared timely data or issued warnings. As a result, Indian Punjab’s major damage. About 500 villages were immersed. Now Punjab’s government requires a study that accused BJP of deliberately letting Punjab drown. This shows that Pakistan was not the only country that Indian village was also destroyed.”
These experts clarified that the most important flood water does not flow from India into Pakistan. Instead, they first pass through several Indian towns and villages and travel 100-150 km before crossing the border. “Indian water releases added to Pakistan’s misery,” said Alam, “but there is no evidence that they were intentional. India itself suffered similar destruction.”
Dr. Daanish Mustafa, a professor of geography of water resources at King’s College London, added: “Water release arises when the safe design capacity of a reservoir has been exceeded. No infrastructure can stop the tip of monsoon. More rain means more water – it’s so simple.” India has been exposed to even greater destruction than Pakistan because the water when reduced. “
