Parts of Chenab river dry up as India closes Baglihar, Salal dams amid cross-border tensions

May 06, 2025

REASI: Parts of the Chenab river started to dry up as India closed up all the gates of the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project Dam and Salal dam, regulating water flow to Pakistan.

The move comes as India takes multiple diplomatic steps against Paistan in response to the Pahalgam attack. India has also held the Indus Water treaty in abeyance. Chenab is also part of the treaty. The Indus river system consists of Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, whose usage rights were divided between India and Pakistan in the 1960 treaty. Pakistan's depends on these river system to supply irrigation for a majority of their agriculture.

However, to ensure that there is not a significant effect on the marine wildlife, as a routine act, bits of water are being released from only one gate of the Salal and Balighar dam.

Earlier on Monday, locals backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to put the Indus Water Treaty on hold and regulate the flow of water to Pakistan, despite water in Chenab river witnessing a significant drop in certain parts.