JAMMU: The World Bank appointed Swiss neutral expert, Raymond Lafitte, who is adjudicating on differences between India and Pakistan over the design of the Baglihar dam under construction on the Chenab in Doda district, arrived here on Saturday for a three day inspection tour of the project. The report of the expert under the Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960 would be binding on both the countries.

The neutral expert was appointed by the World Bank after Pakistan on January 18 this year took the issue to World Bank, which had mediated the Indus Water Treaty in 1960.

Pakistan considers the construction of the dam a violation of the Treaty. The Treaty gives the waters of the three eastern rivers — the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi — to India whereas the waters of the three western rivers the Chenab, the Jhelum and the Indus were given to Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir can use the waters of the three western rivers for non-consumption uses and to meet established and future limited consumption uses.

According to Pakistan, the Baglihar dam would deprive it of more than 7,000 cusecs water a day destroying its agriculture. Another allegation is that India can use the gated structure in a war-like situation to either flood Pakistan or hold back the water supply. India disputes the charge as, according to it, the Salal hydro project, another dam situated the downstream of the Baglihar project, would be damage if any attempt was to release excess water. And that would directly impact the electricity supply to neighbouring States such as Punjab, Himachal Pradesh. In the same way excess water cannot be stored as it would decrease power production.

Prof. Lafitte, appointed in May this year, already held an initial round of talks in Paris in June during which officials of the two countries forwarded written submissions on their respective stands on the project.

Talking to reporters here after his arrival, he said "I have come here to discover the problem and we would try to be transparent during our tour. I do not want to comment any thing beyond this. We would start our tour tomorrow." Prof. Lafitte was accompanied by two Swiss, six Pakistani and four Indian officials. Pakistan officials were specially invited by the Indian side for the purpose of transparency.

The Pakistan team includes the Indus Water Treaty Commissioner of Pakistan, Syed Jamait Ali Shah, Secretary of Water Resources of PakistanAshfaq Mehmood, Chairman National Engineering Services Bashir Qureshi, Chief Engineer Asif Baig, Consultant Peter Joseph and advocate Faisal Ahmed.

The Indian team is led by Chairman of the Centre Water Commission, R. Jayascela. After the completion of the three day visit, the expert would pay a two day visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, to study the model of the Baglihar project there.

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