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The Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Wednesday urged the Centre to revoke or revise the India-Pakistan Indus water treaty, which has affected the state's economy.
Replying to a short duration discussion initiated by Communist Party of India, Marxist, member Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, Works Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar urged the Centre to safeguard the economic interests of the state as it was bearing a recurring loss of Rs 65 billion annually due to the Indus water treaty.
Sagar said that the Centre has been apprised about losses caused on account of the treaty, as waters of three rivers could not be harnessed for purposes of electricity or irrigation.
The state can't harness its 15000 MW power generation potential due to the treaty and concerted efforts made to persuade the Centre to compensate these losses have been futile, he said.
The minister said that since all the members in the house irrespective of their party affiliations have in one voice demanded revocation of the treaty, the house should have passed a resolution in this regard.
Tarigami demanded that the treaty should be revoked and the state of Jammu and Kashmir be adequately compensated by the Centre for the losses.
While demanding revocation of this treaty, G M Bhawan of National Conference said that members should also launch an agitation on this issue.
Harsh Dev Singh of Panthers party said that it was an irony that Jammu and Kashmir was exporting water to Pakistan under this treaty, whereas our neighbouring country was exporting terrorism to us.
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