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Gunmen attack irrigation project in Wullar

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 8/30/2012 12:38:23 AM

Work will resume soon: Police

SRINAGAR, Aug 29: Some unidentified gunmen on the evening of August 27 attacked a site of Jhelum Flood Control Protection Scheme carried out by Irrigation and Flood Control Department at Wullar Lake and forced the workers to stop the work, police sources said.
Sources said the gunmen targeted pillars raised for the embankment and hurled grenade at a worker’s shed. Sources said the gunmen forced the labourers to raze the pillars with GCB.
In the wake of threats by unidentified gunmen, workers have abandoned the project and suspended the work. Sources said on Wednesday no labourer was seen near the site.
The area has been cordoned by police and CRPF personnel.
Top officials of the army and police including inspector General of police Kashmir, S.M. Sahai Wednesday visited the spot.
Police spokesman, however, tried to play down the incident.
“Police has taken cognizance of an incident at Aadipora, Sopore where in some people had entered into the premises of Wullar Conservation Project and made some superficial and minor damages besides intimidated the workers,” Police spokesman said.
“Police is investigating from all angles of the incident including extortion as well as intimidation and threatening to workers,” he said.
“Following the assurance by police, that due care will be taken with regard to safety and security of the workers, the work will resume on the project.
Police have registered a case FIR no. 213/2012 in police station Sopore in this regard,” he added.
Officials in the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said that the department was raising an embankment for conservation of the lake. They said the construction should not be viewed as Wullar Barrage. The Wullar barrage is dispute between India and Pakistan.
Sources said that the gunmen might have apprehended that New Delhi was carrying out work on Wullar Barrage and therefore decided to sabotage it.
Wullar barrage or Tulbul Navigation is an unresolved issue between New Delhi and Islamabad.
India calls it the Tulbul Navigation Project. In Pakistan, it is known as Wullar Barrage.
India proposed to build the barrage in 1984 on the River Jhelum, at the mouth of Wullar Lake, Kashmir’s largest fresh water lake, near Sopore town in Kashmir Valley.
Pakistan protested claiming it was a violation of 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. India claims the barrage would make the river navigable in summer, but Pakistan believes it could be used by India to control the flow of the river.
According to the original plan, the barrage was expected to be of 439-feet long and 40-feet wide, and would have a maximum storage capacity of 0.30 million acres feet of water.
India says it is not an effort to divert water flowing into Pakistan. The project is to make the river navigable during summer.
Pakistan took the case to Indus Waters Commission in 1986.
In 1987 India stopped construction on the project.
Several rounds of talks have been held on the issue so far but without any result.