Monday, May 9 2005 14:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: India today (May 9, 2005) offered a three-month deadline to Pakistan till mid-July to resolve differences over the 330 MW Kishenganga hydro power project, a day after New Delhi said that it would consider practical modifications and changes to the design of the project.

"We have offered a three month deadline ending July 15, which is subject to the review of the Indus Commissioners of both the countries," India's Commissioner for Permanent Indus Waters Commission D K Mehta, who is leading a delegation of Indian water officials at the talks, said from Lahore.

Observing that an impression has been created in Pakistan that India wantonly delayed time bound settlement of both 450 mw Baglihar hydro project and Kishenganga, he said it was not true.

In order to allay the fears on Kishenganga, India has suggested a time bound solution and offered to address Pakistan's concerns, Mehta said while appealing to his Pakistan counterpart, Jamat Ali Shah to be more specific about Pakistan's objections.

Pakistan should also be more practical in seeking data as India has to collect enormous mass of data, process it and forward it Pakistan, which caused delay, he said adding "Pakistan too should provide requisite data for us in time."

Mehta said India has offered to consider "practical modifications and changes" to the design of the project built on Kishenganga, a tributary of the Jhelum river.

Welcoming the offer, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said "Pakistan wants resolution of this issue in accordance with parameters of Indus water treaty to avoid potential dangers to peace in the region."

"Pakistan reserves the right to seek World Bank's help, if mutual consent is not agreed upon by both the countries," Jilani was quoted as saying by the media.

India yesterday offered to consider practical modification and changes to the design provided Pakistan substantiated its objections.

"These are still unsubstantiated objections. Our design is very much within the provisions of the Treaty," Mehta said referring to some of the objections raised by Shah.

Shah said it was for India to remove Pakistan's objections. Pakistan says India can not divert the waters of Kishenganga, which in Pakistan is called Neelum river as its waters were allotted to them.

Since the project envisages 21 km long underground canal it amounts to diversion of its waters, Pakistan maintains.

However, Mehta said the canal was necessary to take the waters to the reservoir to generate hydropower. The project also envisages the entire waters were again released back to Pakistan.

Mehta said under the Treaty, India was entitled for storage of 0.14 million-acre ft water. "We have limited storage rights. We are with in the provisions of the treaty. Pakistan accepted this storage".