Bagalihar, Dulhasti and Salal hydro power projects have been developed on which of the following rivers?
- (a)Chenab and Jhelum
- (b)Chenab and Indus
- (c)Ravi
- (d)Chenab only
Correct — D, Chenab only. All three projects stand on the Chenab River in the Jammu region: Salal (near Reasi) was the first major hydro project on the Chenab, Baglihar is at Ramban, and Dulhasti is in Kishtwar district. Since every one of the three is on the Chenab, the correct single answer is 'Chenab only'.
- (a)Chenab and Jhelum — None of the three is on the Jhelum — that river carries other projects such as Uri; all three named here are on the Chenab.
- (b)Chenab and Indus — The main Indus in Ladakh has schemes like Nimoo-Bazgo, but Salal, Baglihar and Dulhasti are all on the Chenab, not the Indus.
- (c)Ravi — The Ravi hosts projects such as Chamera and Ranjit Sagar (Thein), not these three; all three named projects are on the Chenab.
The Chenab is one of the western rivers of the Indus system allotted largely to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty (1960), with India permitted run-of-the-river hydro projects. Salal, Baglihar and Dulhasti are the flagship Indian hydroelectric schemes built on the Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir.
The distractors pair the Chenab with a second river to tempt you into splitting the three projects across basins. Recall that all three sit on the same river — the Chenab — so the plain answer 'Chenab only' is right.
- Salal, Baglihar and Dulhasti hydro projects are all on the Chenab River.
- Salal was the first major hydroelectric project on the Chenab.
- The Chenab is a western river of the Indus system under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.
- India may build run-of-the-river projects on the western rivers; Baglihar's design was examined by a neutral expert in 2007.
- Splitting the three projects across two rivers when all are on the Chenab.
- Confusing Chenab projects (Salal, Baglihar, Dulhasti) with Ravi projects (Chamera, Thein).
Asked as 'projects X, Y, Z are on which river' — anchor each named dam to its river.
Consider the following statements: 1. The Baglihar Power Project had been constructed within the parameters of the Indus Water Treaty. 2. The project was completely built by the Union Government with loans from Japan and the World Bank. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer(a) 1 only
Same subject — the Baglihar project on the Chenab. UPSC 2009 probes its treaty status and financing; this NDA item asks which river Baglihar, Dulhasti and Salal are built on (the Chenab).
Consider the following facts of the rivers of the Indus system : 1. The Satluj originates in Tibet where it is known as Langchen Khambab 2. The Satluj is a classic example of an antecedent river 3. The Jhelum is the largest tributary of the Indus System Select the answer using the code given below :
- (a) 2 only
- (b) 3 only
- (c) 1 and 2
- (d) 2 and 3
Answer(c) 1 and 2
Same system — the rivers of the Indus basin. That NDA item tests facts about the Satluj and Jhelum; this one places three hydro projects on the Chenab.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Under the Indus Waters Treaty (1960), the Chenab is classified as one of the
- (a)eastern rivers allotted to India
- (b)western rivers whose waters are largely allotted to Pakistan
- (c)rivers wholly outside the treaty
- (d)rivers reserved only for navigation
Answer(b) western rivers whose waters are largely allotted to Pakistan — India may still build run-of-the-river projects on it.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Salal Hydroelectric Project is built on which river?
- (a)Jhelum
- (b)Ravi
- (c)Chenab
- (d)Beas
Answer(c) Chenab — Salal was the first major hydro project on the Chenab.