Friday, February 11 2005 10:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India has no plans to stop work on the contentious Baglihar hydro-electric project in Jammu and Kashmir even as it is examining the technical and legal aspects of Pakistan's objections to the dam raised before the World Bank.

Sources in the Water Resources Ministry said that New Delhi was following the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 in "letter and spirit" and the run-of-the river 450-mw project on river Chenab does not violate the agreement in any manner whatsoever as alleged by Pakistan.

"Hence, there is no question of stopping work on the project, which has taken into account not only the interests of the people in Jammu and Kashmir but also those in Pakistan," a senior official said.

The three-day talks between the two sides in New Delhi early last month failed to arrive at a consensus following which Pakistan approached the World Bank.

The Pakistani delegation had demanded immediate suspension of the work on the project as a pre-condition for any further bilateral talks on the issue.

Meanwhile, officials said India was examining the technical and legal aspects of the points raised by Pakistan before sending a formal response to the World Bank.

Islamabad had recently approached the world body for appointment of a "neutral expert" to arbitrate on its reservations on the project.

India still continues to maintain that the issue can be sorted out bilaterally.