Context:
The completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage has halted the flow of water from the River Ravi to Pakistan.
Shahpur Kandi Dam Project:
- Located in – Punjab
- River – Ravi, downstream from the existing Ranjit Sagar Dam.
- Purpose – Power generation and irrigation in Punjab and J&K States.
Ravi River:
- Ravi – Trans-boundary river of India and Pakistan.
- Tributary of – Indus River
- Origin – Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh.
- Flows through – Punjab and enters Pakistan, where it eventually joins the Chenab River in the province of Punjab.
- Also called – ‘The River of Lahore’.
- Tributaries – Bhadal, Ujh, Tarnah, and Basantar
Indus River:
- Origin – Bokhar Chu glaciers of Kailas Range (near Mansarovar Lake)
- Total Length – 2880 km (India – 1110 km & Pakistan – 710 km)
- Major Tributaries – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej
- River Basin – Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Union Territory of Chandigarh
- Rivers Contributing to Indus –
- River Zaskar at Leh
- River Shyok and River Shigar near Skardu
- River Kabul at Attock
- Sutlej Rivers (Panch river waters) near Mithankot
- Suru and Dras near Kargil
Descending order (Length): Indus → Sutlej → Chenab → Ravi → Jhelum → Beas
North to South: Indus → Jhelum → Chenab → Ravi → Beas → Sutlej
| Major Rivers | Source | River joins with | Place of joining | Length |
| Jhelum | Verinag | Chenab | Trimmu | 720km |
| Chenab | BaraLachaPass | Sutlej | Panjnad | 1180km |
| Ravi | Near Rohtang Pass | Chenab | Near Rangpur in Pakistani Punjab | 725km |
| Beas | Near Rohtang Pass | Sutlej | Harike in Punjab | 460km |
| Sutlej | Manasarovar-RakasLakes (Tibet) | Indus | Near Mithankot | 1050kminIndia (1450kmtotal) |
Indus Water Treaty, 1960:
- Aim – To establishes a framework for collaboration and sharing of information between India and Pakistan regarding the utilization of the waterof the Indus River and its 5 tributaries.
- Signatories – India, Pakistan and World Bank.
- Allocation of Rivers for unrestricted use –
- India –3 eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej)
- India –3 eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej)
- Established Permanent Indus Commission for both the countries.
- Meeting – At least once a year.
- India’s Rights over Pakistan Rivers –
- Annexure C of IWT – Allows certain agricultural uses
- Annexure D of IWT – Allows to build ‘run of the river’ hydropower projects i.e. projects not requiring live storage of water.
- Article IX provides a 3-step dispute resolution mechanism.
- Permanent Commission/inter-government level
- Appointing Neutral Expert by World Bank
- Court of Arbitration
Source: Times of India
Related Articles: Cross the boulders in the Indus Waters Treaty
Previous Year Question
With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus directly. Among the following, which one is such a river that joins the Indus directly?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2021 Prelims]
(a) Chenab
(b) Jhelum
(c) Ravi
(d) Sutlej
Answer: (d)
