May 7, 2002	Tuesday	Safar 23, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, May 6: India has resumed construction of flood protection works on the Indian side of river Ravi in yet another violation of the Indus Water Treaty.

It is learnt that in a communication to the office of Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Water last month, India had hinted that it was carrying out training works on river Ravi.

Irked by this development, Pakistan has sought a meeting between the commissioners for Indus Water to address this issue. However, sources told Dawn on Monday that India had not been forthcoming so far.

This is not the first time that India has violated the Indus Water Treaty by carrying out training works on river Ravi. The construction work on the Indian side of the river was commenced in the early eighties and suspended in the wake of an official protest by Pakistan in 1984.

The construction work on river Ravi by India is in violation of Articles IV(2) and IV(3)(a) of the Indus Water Treaty which disallow any scheme of flood protection or flood control that may cause material damage to the other party. Pakistani authorities maintain that these training works cause shifting of river Ravi towards Pakistan and is potentially detrimental to Pakistan. Experts warn that the construction of flood protection works on river Ravi by India will lead to inundation of a vast area on the Pakistani side in case of a flood.