By IANS,
New Delhi : Jammu and Kashmir should be compensated for the losses it has suffered due to the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, a parliamentarian from the state demanded Friday.
Participating in the budget debate, Mirza Mehboob Beg of the National Conference said that the state was suffering heavy losses due to the treaty signed in 1960, according to which Pakistan has exclusive rights to use water from three western rivers — the Indus, the Jhelum and the Chenab, all flowing from Jammu and Kashmir.
India has exclusive rights to use water from three eastern rivers – the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi.
“God was kind to Jammu and Kashmir, bestowing it with tremendous water resources. But in 1960, all waters of Jammu and Kashmir were handed over to Pakistan. The state has no control over its own water,” Beg said.
He said he knew that the treaty could not be scrapped.
“I would request the central government to compensate Jammu and Kashmir for the losses due to the Indus Water Treaty,” he said.
He also said that the state has tremendous tourism potential and urged the government to provide enough funds to create infrastructure in the state to attract more foreign and domestic tourists.
“Not much is being done towards that,” he regretted.