New Delhi, Dec 27:
In a move signaling a major shift in India’s water diplomacy and regional energy strategy, the Ministry of Environment has granted environmental clearance for the 260 MW Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.
The decision, finalized during the 45th meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) earlier this month, paves the way for NHPC Limited to begin floating construction tenders for the run-of-the-river project.
The clearance comes at a high-stakes moment for the subcontinent. On April 23, 2025, India officially suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. Under the original treaty, the waters of the Chenab were allocated to Pakistan, with India restricted to limited “run-of-the-river” usage.
With the treaty now in abeyance, the Union Government is accelerating a series of long-stalled projects in the Indus basin to maximize the utilization of Jammu and Kashmir’s hydel potential.
Dulhasti Stage-II is an extension of the existing 390 MW Stage-I station, which has been operational since 2007. The new stage will share the existing dam but function as a separate power-generating unit.
The project will require the acquisition of private land in the villages of Benzwar and Palmar. Officials have noted that the “horseshoe-shaped pondage” for Stage-II will be created through a separate tunnel system, ensuring the existing Stage-I operations remain unaffected while boosting total output.
Dulhasti-II is part of a broader “mission mode” approach to secure India’s water and energy interests. Following the suspension of the IWT, the Centre is fast-tracking several other mega-projects in the region, including: Sawalkote (1,856 MW), Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Ratle (850 MW) and Kiru, Kwar, and Kirthai I & II.
“The parameters of this project were originally designed to be IWT-compliant,” the EAC minutes noted. “However, given the current suspension of the treaty, the focus has shifted toward rapid infrastructure development to ensure regional energy security.”
This move is likely to further escalate diplomatic tensions. Pakistan has historically objected to Indian projects on the Chenab, claiming they interfere with water flow. With the legal guardrails of the IWT removed, Dulhasti-II represents a firm assertion of India’s riparian rights over the western rivers.
