Rama Krishna Sangem
India has issued fresh flood risk alerts to Pakistan, warning of a “high probability” of flooding in the Tawi river after heavy and continuous rainfall in the north forced the release of excess water from major dams, sources told PTI on Wednesday. Perhaps this maybe the first time in recent times, that India passed information to Pakistan on rains and floods situation.
Needless to say, ties between the two countries worsened after the Pahalgam terror incident and the subsequent for day military conflict in May.
Officials said the alerts, sent through the ministry of external affairs, were shared on “humanitarian grounds”. This comes at a time when ties between the two countries have remained tense since the Pahalgam terror attack four months ago. The first alert was sent on Monday, followed by two more on August 26 and 27.
“We issued another alert yesterday (Tuesday) and one today (Wednesday) of high probability of flooding in the Tawi river. The gates of some dams had to be opened due to excessive rains being witnessed in Indian regions,” a source said. The Tawi river, which rises in the Himalayas, flows through Jammu before merging with the Chenab in Pakistan.
India had suspended the routine exchange of hydrological data under the Indus Waters Treaty after 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. But officials stressed the flood warnings were shared to help prevent loss of life and property across the border.
Due to heavy rains and floods from rivers in India, around 1.50 lakh people of Punjab province in Pakistan have been evacuated in the last few days. Indus Water Treaty of 1960s regulates the water flows from India into Pakistan and warns of calamitous situations. Though India has kept in abeyance the treaty after Pahalgam incident, relevant officials from the country came into contact and alerted Pakistan authorities on the floods situation.
This goodwill gesture may contribute to improvement in bilateral conditions between India and Pakistan.
