Monday, July 24 2006 12:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan will not hesitate in accepting the modified design of the Kishanganga hydropower project if it does not reduce the flow of water in the river that is destined to reach its territory, The News quoted an unnamed government official as saying.

The official said Pakistan also plans to construct the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project on the Neelum river so as to generate 969 MW of electricity.

Under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan, the country which builds the hydropower project on the Neelum river (Jhelum) first will have the priority over water rights.

The official confirmed that Pakistan had received a modified design of the 330-MW hydropower project, being executed in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which was being scrutinised.

Pakistani experts will visit the site of the project after examining the modified design as per provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, under which India can only build the project on the run-of-the-river, the Pakistani official said.

"After completion of the examination of the altered design from all aspects, the government would come up with a formal response as to whether or not the project design has been changed as per the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty," said the official.

"We received the modified design of the project some days back and experts belonging to the National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak), the Irrigation Department and the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) are currently examining it to alleviate the concern of Pakistan," he said.

The official stressed that under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty the review of the modified design must be completed within three months. So, Pakistan would have to come up with its formal response before the lapse of this deadline, The News reported.

In April this year, Indian Minister Kapil Sibal had announced that that New Delhi would propose modifications to the 330-MW scheme to make it a run-of-the-river project instead of the original storage and power generation project.

New Delhi sent a letter to Islamabad in May informing that it has changed the design of the Kishanganga hydropower project.

According to the official, India had earlier planned to construct the Kishanganga storage and power generation project to produce 330-MW electricity by diverting the water of the Jhelum river, which would have substantially reduced water flow to Pakistan.