December 06, 2006	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 14, 1427

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WASHINGTON, Dec 5: The World Bank expert on the Baglihar dam dispute between India and Pakistan is expected to submit his report on the project by February, official sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

Raymond Lafitte last met Indian and Pakistani representatives in Washington from Nov 7 to 9. During this meeting, he discussed some points with them, advising Islamabad and New Delhi to send their recommendations to him before he finalises its report.

The Indian media said on Monday that Mr Lafitte’s report may force New Delhi to abandon the ambitious Baglihar hydroelectric project on the Chenab river.

Media reports said that Mr Lafitte wants India to redesign the dam, reduce its height and construct a parapet around it. He also wants the sill height of the turbine installations to be increased.

Indian officials told reporters that such redesigning can only be done at a considerable cost that may make the project unviable.

The Indian media reported that the expert also had rejected Pakistan’s contention that the project violates the Indus Waters Treaty, but gave no details.

A World Bank official said Mr Lafitte had not yet submitted his report. “But even if he does, we cannot comment on the findings of a neutral expert,” the official said.

Mr Lafitte is a Swiss civil engineer and teaches at his country’s Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. The bank appointed him a neutral expert to resolve the dispute on May 10 last year.

Both India and Pakistan must accept his findings.

Diplomatic sources in Washington say that the final report may displease both countries. Islamabad wants the expert to stop the project because it believes the dam violates the Indus Water Treaty. New Delhi wants him to endorse the project without any alteration.

The hydroelectric dam, being built in occupied Jammu region, is being built in two 450-megawatt phases.