Jammu, Feb 10: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the J&K government was working with the Centre to revive the Tulbul navigation barrage and diversion of water from Chenab to Jammu city, after Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was put in abeyance.
His assertion came while making an intervention during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly to the supplementaries raised by the BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma and other members to the original question of another BJP MLA from Jammu West, Arvind Gupta about water shortage, long term water security plan for Jammu and restoration of Sitlee-Manda Raising Mains, damaged during floods on August 25, 2025.
The Chief Minister hoped that the work on both the long-stalled projects would begin soon.
Reference was to the Tulbul navigation barrage to regulate Jhelum river water near Sopore in Kashmir and the project related to lifting of Chenab river water from Akhnoor to divert to Jammu city to meet its crucial needs.
CM Omar said, ìThe process related to both these projects was initiated. The projects were submitted to the Asian Development Bank for funding but they could not get clearance due to constraints imposed by the IWT.î
ìBut now as the treaty has been put in abeyance, it is hoped that the work on both the projects will move forward,î he said, while endorsing the point made by Sham Lal Sharma that a plan should be devised to meet the water demand of Jammu for the next 30-50 years.
ìSham Sharma is right in saying that the short-term measures like reviving defunct tube-wells and other water sources were not enough,î the Chief Minister said.
