Govt dismisses Pak allegation of India deliberately causing flooding

Govt dismissed Pakistan’s allegation that India is deliberately causing flooding as baseless, saying the recent increase in flows in Chenab river is a direct consequence of intense monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas from July 20 to 23.Govt also reiterated India’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty that it will continue to be held in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. However, it also said India will continue to share high flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds.MEA said Pakistan’s flood forecasting division, in its July 22 flood advisory, had attributed high flood levels in Chenab to heavy rainfall over the upper catchment and stated high flows at Marala were expected to persist before gradually receding as rainfall over the catchment decreased.”The rise in river flows is a natural hydrological response to heavy monsoon rainfall and not the result of any deliberate action by India. Attempts to portray a weather-driven flood event as an upstream intervention are factually incorrect, technically untenable, and contradicted by Pakistan’s own official flood advisories,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.On allegations related to flood warnings, he said river flows during this period did not reach extraordinary discharge levels requiring issuance of flood warnings. According to India, observed flows were consistent with prevailing monsoon conditions over the upper catchments, as acknowledged by Pakistan’s flood forecasting authorities.” …like last year, India will share high flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds, through diplomatic channels as and when a situation arises,” he said.