Heavy rain forces India to release Chenab water to Pakistan

SRINAGAR: India reopened the floodgates of two major hydroelectric dams in Jammu and Kashmir — Salal in Reasi and Baglihar in Ramban — on Thursday, allowing water from the Chenab river to resume flowing into Pakistan.

The release followed days of intense rainfall that significantly raised the water levels behind the dams. “Heavy rains caused a surge in reservoir levels, making it necessary to release excess water,” an official confirmed. “Three gates at the Salal project and two at Baglihar were opened to manage the overflow.”

This move comes a week after India temporarily halted the Chenab’s flow to Pakistan by shutting these dam gates. That decision was taken in the wake of the April 22 terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, after which India put the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on hold.

Following the closures, the Chenab’s water level plummeted dramatically. “Where the river typically flows at a height of 25 to 30 feet, it had dropped to around 2 feet,” an official said. As a result, water flow downstream into Pakistan had nearly stopped, and locals in the Akhnoor area of Jammu were able to cross the riverbed on foot for the first time.

The Baglihar, Salal, and Kishanganga dams give India strategic control over water flow to Pakistan. According to the IWT, India has unrestricted use of the eastern rivers — the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi — while Pakistan holds rights over the western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.