The Salal Dam, located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, has seen all its gates closed. As a result, water levels downstream have plummeted sharply which has dried up significant sections of the river.
In the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam which claimed 26 innocent lives in Jammu and Kashmir, India has intensified its countermeasures against Pakistan. Following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, India has now stopped the flow of water from the Chenab River. The Indian government has shut down the gates of both the Baglihar and Salal dams, which regulate the Chenab’s flow into Pakistan.
A striking video has surfaced online, showing large stretches of the Chenab Riverbed running dry, with visibly reduced water levels that reflect the impact of the dam closures. The Salal Dam, located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, has seen all its gates closed. As a result, water levels downstream have plummeted sharply which has dried up significant sections of the river. This development comes shortly after the Baglihar Dam was similarly used to halt water discharge. Sources now indicate that India is also preparing to take similar action on the Kishanganga Dam, which controls the flow of the Jhelum River — another major river flowing into Pakistan.
India suspended the Indus Water Treaty
India had earlier taken a bold step by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, a historic water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank in 1960. The treaty, signed between the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistani President Ayub Khan, was often hailed as a rare example of peaceful cooperation between two hostile neighbours. It is interesting to note that this treaty has withstood three wars between India and Pakistan – in 1965, 1971, and 1999, but is now suspended indefinitely. The treaty governs the distribution of the Indus river system between India and Pakistan.
Pahalgam terror attack
As many as 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed and more than a dozen others injured in the Pahalgam terror attack which occurred on April 22. This has been one of the biggest terror attacks after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Following the terror attack, security forces launched search operations to track down the terrorists responsible. Security has been heightened since the attack, with visuals from the area showing the streets deserted in the usually bustling tourist area.
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