Q. With reference to the Indus Water Treaty (1960), consider the following statements:
1.The treaty was signed between India and Pakistan, with the World Bank as a mediator and signatory.
2.The treaty allocates the Western rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum) to India and the Eastern rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej) to Pakistan.
3.India controls approximately 20% of the total water of the Indus system, while Pakistan controls about 80%.
4.The treaty provides for a three-step dispute resolution mechanism, including the Permanent Commission, Neutral Expert, and Court of Arbitration.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Answer: C
Notes:
Explanation:
Statement 1: Correct- The Indus Water Treaty (1960) was signed between India and Pakistan after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank playing a key role as a mediator and a signatory.
Statement 2: Incorrect- The treaty allocates the Western rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum) to Pakistan and the Eastern rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej) to India, not the other way around.
Statement 3: Correct- India controls about 20% of the total water of the Indus system, while Pakistan controls around 80%. This allocation follows the division of the rivers between the two countries as per the treaty.
Statement 4: Correct- The treaty provides a three-step dispute resolution mechanism:
- Permanent Commission
- Neutral Expert (appointed by the World Bank if disputes remain unresolved)
- Court of Arbitration (if either country is dissatisfied with the decision of the Neutral Expert).
Source– IE
