In a major decision following the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has given environmental clearance to the long-pending Sawalkot Hydropower Project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. An official said, ‘The 40th meeting of the Expert Environment Assessment Committee (EAC) for river valley and hydropower projects was held on September 26 and the final approval was given on Thursday (October 09, 2025).’

Officials said that the Centre’s Environment Committee held extensive discussions before giving the approval. “The EAC has recommended environmental clearance without the need for new cumulative impact or carrying capacity studies, assessments that are typically mandated to evaluate the combined impacts of multiple projects within a river basin,” an official said.

Project designed as 1856 MW Hydropower Station

This relaxation is expected to speed up the implementation of the project. The approval comes at a time when India has suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) following the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April 2025 and has renewed focus on harnessing the hydropower potential of Chenab.

According to official reports, the project, operated by NHPC, is designed as an 1856 MW hydropower station consisting of a 192.5 meter high concrete gravity dam and a reservoir spread over an area of ​​more than 1100 hectares. After completion, Sawalkot will be one of the largest hydropower projects located on the western rivers of the Indus system.

Approval processes may be affected

In June, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had described the project as being of ‘strategic importance’ and had urged the Environment Ministry to grant it expeditious approval. The power ministry had also warned that the new basin-wide studies could have an impact on the approval processes already initiated.

The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) had already given the relaxation in July, saying that the guidelines for cumulative studies were issued in 2013, while the Sawalkot project was first started in 1984 and the rules cannot be applied retrospectively.

So many trees will be cut to build the dam

Under this project, 847.17 hectares of forest land in Udhampur, Ramban, Reasi and Mahour districts will be used and more than 2.22 lakh trees will have to be cut, of which more than 1.26 lakh will be in Ramban alone. This dam will be built in two phases, which will generate 1406 MW and 450 MW electricity.

Environmentalists in Jammu and Kashmir have expressed concern over the ecological impact of this project. In a report submitted to the State Pollution Control Board in 2016, they argued that classifying Sawalkot as a run-of-the-mill project is misleading, as its huge reservoir would alter the natural river flow and submerge vast tracts of land.

These livelihoods will be affected by the construction of the dam.

He also said that there are already many big dams on Chenab river including Dulhasti, Baglihar and Salal. NHPC said it has updated the baseline environmental data to meet current needs and collected new primary data during the monsoon 2022, winter 2023 and pre-monsoon 2023 seasons.

The company said the updated data addresses concerns that the original 2016 environmental studies were out of date. Experts have warned that large dams like Sawalkot could affect downstream river flows, fish migration and sediment transport, destabilizing agricultural lands along the river channel and flood plains.

Project delayed due to centre-state disputes

Large reservoirs in the steep valleys of the Himalayas can also increase slope instability and landslide risk. As per the Environment Ministry’s own guidelines, projects that do not get in-principle forest clearance within 18 months will have to update their baseline studies.

Sawalkot has been facing delays for decades due to Centre-state disputes and objections under the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan had earlier sought information about the project, but India refused, saying that as per the treaty, information was required six months before the start of construction.

Promise of electricity and employment to the people

Now with the treaty suspended, the government has included Sawalkot among its strategic core priorities. Tenders have already been issued for several components, making the project a test case for striking a balance between national security and environmental protection.

For communities living along the Chenab River, the project promises electricity and jobs, but also threatens the loss of forests, land and riverine habitats that have shaped local life for generations.

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Pakistan Chenab River Water Level: Pakistan is currently going through the most severe water crisis in history. The biggest reason behind this is believed to be a huge cut in water received by India under the Indus Water Treaty. According to local water experts, the flow of Chenab river flowing from India has decreased by 92%, causing crops in large agricultural areas like Punjab and Sindh to be on the verge of havoc.

Water in Chenab river also below ‘dead level’
According to reports, on May 29, the Chenab river flow was 98,200 cusecs, which is now only 7,200 cusecs. The water level has fallen so much that it has gone below the ‘dead level’, due to which more than 40% of the kharif crops have dried up and the rest is also facing a crisis.

6.5 crore people affected, farmers will travel to Islamabad
About 6.5 crore people from Punjab and Sindh depend on Chenab for irrigation. Farmers’ organizations, troubled by water scarcity and wastage of crops, have now warned of Islamabad. Farmer leaders say that the government is not giving any relief and no clear diplomatic steps were taken against India.

Loss of Rs 4,500 billion, ground water also ends
According to the data of the agricultural organization ‘PRA’ and irrigation department, Pakistan has so far lost Rs 4,500 billion due to lack of rain and water supply. The ground water level has also fallen severely and thousands of tubewells have dried up.

Dam also dried, feared food crisis
The water level of major water sources like Mangla Dam has also gone below the danger line. Experts believe that if this situation persists, Pakistan may face a serious national food crisis.

Water requests from India: Pakistan sent four letters
Pakistan has sent four formal letters to India so far to restore the Indus Water Treaty and supply water. According to NDTV report, one of these letters was sent after “Operation Sindoor”. All these letters were sent by Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources of Pakistan, to the Ministry of Water Power, which was later sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (Mea).

Farmers’ anger over ‘Green Pakistan’
The farmers of Punjab and Sindh are describing projects like ‘Green Pakistan’ by the government as a paper fraud, saying that “there is no greenery of paper, but water is needed in the fields.” Farmers allege that the government is only focusing on showy schemes, while the real need is to improve the irrigation system.

Pakistan has been nervous since the postponement of the Indus Water Agreement of India. After offering a conversation with India, PAK has once again started giving jackal. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Asif has a new statement, in which he said that Islamabad will defeat India in the water war.

After the terrorist attack on Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir (April 22, 2025), India launched Operation Sindoor and entered Pakistan and destroyed terrorist bases. Since then, the official conversation between the two sides has been closed. However, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who recently visited a foreign tour, expressed his desire to talk to India.

Khwaja Asif again gave jackal
During a conversation with Sama TV of Pakistan, Khwaja Asif said that the flow of water in the Chenab river is much less than that. This is a deliberate action taken by India to ban Pakistan’s water rights. Khwaja Asif gave jackal and said that India was defeated in traditional war and now we will beat him in water war too. Also said that he does not know about this about any back channel with India.

“The flow of water in the chenab river is significantly lower than it should be, suggesting deliberate actions by India to restrint Pakistan’s water rights. will defeat it in the water war as well & he is not aware of any back… pic.twitter.com/fzjkgqgqr6mw

– OsintTv (@OSITTV) June 7, 2025

Pakistan wrote letters four times to India
Meanwhile, Islamabad has sent several formal letters to New Delhi asking to review the Indus Water Agreement. According to reports, Pakistan’s Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza wrote a letter four times to the Ministry of Water Power of India, out of which three were written after operation vermilion.

India has made its position clear on this matter. (April 24, 2025), Pakistan was formally informed about the decision to postpone the Indus Water Treaty. India’s Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee said that the responsibility of respecting the treaty with goodwill is fundamental for the treaty. However, we have seen that Pakistan tries to target India’s Jammu and Kashmir repeatedly through terrorists.

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Pahalgam terror attack: India’s Pahalgam has started showing the effect of action taken after the terrorist attack. India has postponed the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. He has stopped water through two dams on the Chenab river. Due to this, the water level of Chenab river in Pakistan has fallen and it has started drying up. Pakistan is going to suffer a big loss.

The water level of the Chenab river in Akhnoor area of ​​Jammu fell below the waist for the first time in many years. According to a report by the Indian Express, all the sluis gates of Salal and Bagihar dams in the riyasi and Ramban districts were closed after closing on Sunday morning, although no official statement has come about it, but sources said that the gates were closed to deposit water in the reservoirs of both the dams, which were vacated on the first Friday and Saturday as part of the dislocation process.

update in progress…

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Indus water treatment India Pakistan: India has postponed the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. Now its effect has started showing. Water has been stopped through a dam on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir. The Bagihar dam on Chenab has been closed. The Bagihar project was commissioned in 2008. Since then, there was no large-scale de-silting.

Till now India had to ask for permission from Pakistan for de-silting, but now the situation has changed. The Indus Water Treaty provided for the consent of Pakistan from de-silting, although Pakistan had never allowed completely de-silting. The Government of India has taken a big step to increase the power.

Water will be released in a while

More than half a dozen projects are going on in Jammu and Kashmir and the work of extracting sand has started to increase the capacity of many reservoirs. The government has taken a big decision for the power generation. The water was stopped by 840 feet, but the water will be released in a while. The water level in Akhnoor has started increasing. This hydropower project of India has given sleep to Pakistan. His real problem is going to increase.

Pakistan will suffer a big loss

The Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, but India postponed it after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Pakistan will have a big loss. It has been very important for farming and hydropower projects in Pakistan. With this, the important thing is that about 80 percent of the irrigation water was supplied in Pakistan from this.

Also read: Plan prepared for instead of Pahalgam attack? Defense secretary reached PM Modi after Navy and IAF Chief

Flood in pok: Pakistan is scared of India’s action after the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan is currently facing many fronts. On one hand, India has taken many tough decisions about Pakistan, while now there is going to be a nature in the neighboring country. Due to heavy rains in Kashmir, the threat of flooding in POK has started looming.

Chenab river increased water level

After heavy rains in Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir, the water level of Chenab river has increased on Friday (2 May 2025), causing floods in many areas of Pakistan. According to the Meteorological Department, heavy rains are likely in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during May 1-6. During this period, there is also a prediction of lightning and strong winds (40-60 km/h).

India left the water of Jhelum river

On the last month (April 26, 2025) from India, water was released into the Jhelum River in Hattin Bala area of ​​Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. Because of this, the Muzaffarabad administration announced a water emergency. Due to release of water in the Jhelum river, there was a fierce flood in Muzaffarabad. The Jhelum river suddenly flooded due to water entering Chakothi from Anantnag district in Uri, causing fear and panic among the local people.

India took many big decisions against Pakistan

After the Pahalgam terror attack, India has taken major decisions including suspending the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan is so scared at this time that it has been singing in front of the United Nations and America to avoid India. India said that by targeting Jammu and Kashmir, the terrorism across the border by Pakistan obstructs India’s rights under the Indus Water Treaty. Under this treaty signed in 1960, Eastern rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi were allotted to India and Western rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan.

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Indian Railways: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first train to run from Katra to Valley on 19 April. With this historic step, the 70 -year -old dream of rail connectivity till Kashmir will come true. The train will start from Katra town of Reasi district and reach Srinagar crossing the Pir Panjal mountain range and then will go to Baramulla in North Kashmir.

In this important program, PM Modi will also include Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. According to the information received, this train is currently running from Sangaldan to Baramulla.

PM Modi will visit the world’s highest bridge

Prime Minister Modi will reach Udhampur Army Airport from New Delhi on the morning of 19 April, after which he will visit the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River. During this time, they will be informed about the technical aspects related to the construction of the bridge. After this, PM Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat train from Mata Vaishno Devi Aadhaar camp at Katra.

PM Modi will address rally in Katra

Before returning to Delhi, Prime Minister Modi will also address a public rally in Katra. According to railway officials, after the completion of the expansion work at Jammu railway station, train service from Jammu to Valley will start from July-August this year. However, there will be no direct train for Kashmir from Delhi or other parts at present. Passengers will have to get down in Katra and catch another train which will be implemented in Jammu later.

Extension of rail link continues under USBRL project

Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project was launched in October 2009, 118 km of 118 km of 272 km under the project. After this, the work of 18 km long Banihal-Kazigund Link in June 2013 and 25 km long Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014 were completed. In February last year, 48.1 km Banihal-Sangdan section was also added.

The work of the 46 km long Sangaldan-Risi section was also completed in June last year, while the construction of 17 km between Reasi and Katra was recently completed. After these preparations, tests of different trains have started in India and review of security measures has also been completed.