Top News

Public Discourse on Tulbul Navigation Project

A public debate ignited on social media between Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his predecessor Mehbooba Mufti regarding the revival of the Tulbul Navigation Project. Mufti accused the government of taking provocative actions amidst the easing of hostilities between India and Pakistan. In response, Abdullah claimed that Mufti was opposing the initiative merely for cheap publicity and to appease certain factions in Pakistan. The Tulbul Navigation Project aims to rejuvenate the Wular Lake, which flows from the Jhelum River in Bandipora district.

Initiated in 1987, the project faced a halt in 2007 due to objections from Pakistan, which argued that it violated the Indus Water Treaty. Following the suspension of the treaty by India on April 23, a day after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Abdullah called for the resumption of work on the project at Wular Lake. In a post on social media, he expressed curiosity about the possibility of restarting the project now that the water agreement with Pakistan is on hold.

In a video shared on social media, Abdullah showcased the civil works at the Tulbul Navigation Barrage, which began in the early 1980s but was abandoned due to pressure from Pakistan regarding the Indus Water Treaty. He emphasized that completing the Tulbul project would facilitate navigation on the Jhelum River, enhancing its utility and improving electricity generation in downstream power projects.