India says design of Nimo-Bazgo hydropower project is within limits

Rejecting Pakistan's call for a change in the design, India today said the design of Nimmo-Bazgo hydropower project was within the permissible limits of the Indus Waters Treaty and there is no need to change it.

India's Indus waters commissioner G Ranganathan told his Pakistani counterpart Jamaat Ali Shah during the second day of the three-day talks here that there was no need for changing the design.
  
During yesterday's talks, Pakistan has sought changes in the design of the Nimmo-Bazgo hydropower project.

On the second day of three-day talks here, the Indian and Pakistani delegations stuck to their respective positions on the Nimmo-Bazgo and Chutak power projects, over which Islamabad has expressed reservations.

At the end of today's discussions, Pakistan's Indus waters commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah told reporters the two sides will again hold talks on the Nimmo-Bazgo project tomorrow and also take up the Chutak hydropower plant.

Ranganathan said India remained committed to the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and was "designing all power projects as per the criteria permitted under it". 

He said India would address all concerns and reservations expressed by Pakistan. 

During today's parleys, the Pakistani side insisted that the Nimmo-Bazgo project's design was based on the "maximum projected notional figures regarding water and flood flows".

It insisted that Indian side must take into account actual river flow figures and adjust the design accordingly so that chances of "manipulating water flow" could be minimised.

Shah also said Pakistan could opt for third party arbitration under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty if the issue is not resolved amicably. 

The two sides were trying to achieve "convergence" under the terms of the treaty, he added. The talks will conclude tomorrow.