Maintaining that the Tulbul Navigation Project in Jammu and Kashmir does not violate the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, India on Monday made clear its determination to pursue it because of its crucial importance for movement of boats in Kashmir valley.
Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz emphasised that river Jhelum, on which the project is proposed to be built, is a 'symbol of our civilisation' and cannot lose the right of navigation on it.
"I made it clear to them (Pakistan)...We want navigation in river Jhelum," Soz told media persons while referring to his meeting with Pakistan's Water Resources Secretary Ismail Qureshi in New Delhi last week.
"I think they (Pakistan) have got the cue (that India will not budge on its position)," the minister said.
"We have accepted the (1960) Indus Water Treaty. We are not going to violate it," Soz said, adding that Tulbul Project also did not involve violation of the agreement.
He was responding to questions about progress in the talks between the two countries on the issue after Water Resources Secretary-level talks in New Delhi on August 30-31. Pakistan has been asking India to consider abandoning the project, claiming it violates the Indus Water Treaty.
India has rejected the claim, maintaining that the barrage was merely aimed at facilitating navigation between Srinagar and Baramulla districts.
As per the treaty, India and Pakistan each has exclusive rights over three of the six common rivers.
While India has the right over Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, Pakistan has right over Jhelum, Chenab and Sindh.
At last week's meeting, the two sides stuck to their positions because of which no progress could be made. They, however, agreed to hold technical-level discussions on the matter.
"Our position is very correct as far as Tulbul is concerned. I have no hesitation to say that we shall win in this (tussle)," Soz said.
Soz said only 4.5 feet of waters was required to enable boats to move during peak period. The dispute erupted in 1984 after India started building a barrage on the river with a storage capacity of three lakh acre feet and Pakistan objected. The issue has since been under discussion.
