Pak''s poser to India on artificial lake project

Jammu, Feb 21 (PTI) A visiting Pakistani team todaysought an evidence from the Jammu and Kashmir government thatno provision of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) has been violatedduring ongoing constrution of an artificial lake on river Tawihere.

The three-member panel, headed by Sheraj Jameel Memon,the IWT Commissioner for Pakistan, had yesterday carried out asurvey of the lake project.

On day two of their visit, the team today inspectedthe main heads of Ranbir and Partap canals built over riverChenab and Munawar Tawi in Jammu district.

Ranbir and Partap canals had been built during theerstwhile Dogra rule in 1880 for irrigating maximum area inthe district.

"We need some evidence from the Indian side that noprovision of the IWT has been violated with regard to theariticial lake project," Memon told reporters.

"Our team is here to see which project is undertakenand whether there has been any violation of the IWT or not,"he said.

The Jammu and Kashmir government is constructing atwo-km-long artificial lake by raising a check dam on Tawiriver for providing water to dry areas in Jammu.

The construction work is expected to be completed ina year.

Minister for Public Health Engineering, Irrigationand Flood Control Taj Mohi-ud-Din said Pakistan had not raisedany objections so far regarding construction of the lake.

"But the panel wanted to satisfy themselves aftervisiting the lake site and the place where the check dam isbeing raised," he said.

"They may have doubts regarding violation of theIndus Waters Treaty signed between the two countries but wehave carried out work within the permissible limits of thetreaty," the Minister said.

"No violation has been committed in any area whichincludes the design of the lake and water storage," he said.