CHENAB VALLEY, Jammu and Kashmir—Shama Begum, adorned in a traditional shalwar kameez and a pink headscarf, sits within the confines of her kitchen in Dungduro village, her back resting against a fractured wall. Now in her late 40s, her formative years were spent in Sewarbatti, situated near the Kishtwar district, approximately 155 miles from Jammu city by road.
Throughout her life, the Chenab River has been central to her existence. Her family historically maintained the springs that nourished their agricultural lands, managed livestock along the riverbanks, and harvested from the smaller tributaries, continuing traditions passed down through generations. “I recall spending summers cultivating beans, rice, maize, and various fruits,” Shama recounts. “We found respite under the shade of trees. However, we have since been deprived of our land and livestock.”
Hydropower Development and Displacement in the Chenab Valley
The regions of Kishtwar and neighboring Doda district are characterized by dense forests and steep terrain, renowned for their natural beauty. However, the area is now gaining prominence due to its substantial hydropower potential. India is currently planning the construction of seven hydropower projects, with four already in progress. These ambitious undertakings are designed to generate a total of 5,190 megawatts of electricity.
Unfortunately, this development is profoundly disrupting the lives of over 20,000 individuals, particularly impacting Indigenous communities whose livelihoods depend on the forests and their agricultural holdings. Residents are observing a concerning decline in spring water levels, with community records indicating a 30 percent reduction. Upstream dams, such as Pakal Dul, are altering the river’s natural flow patterns, complicating irrigation for local farmers.
Water Politics and Geopolitical Implications
This expansion of hydropower signifies a shift towards viewing water resources through a security lens. Infrastructure is increasingly functioning as a deterrent, transforming shared rivers into instruments of geopolitical strategy. The situation unfolding along the Chenab represents not only an energy expansion but also a fundamental change in water governance.
As relations between India and Pakistan deteriorate, water, previously considered a shared resource under the Indus Waters Treaty, is now increasingly framed in New Delhi as an asset to be “fully utilized,” while maintaining formal compliance with the treaty. The current hydropower expansion in Jammu and Kashmir serves a dual purpose: advancing domestic energy objectives and demonstrating resolve towards Pakistan within a historically contentious basin.
Environmental and Human Costs of Dam Construction
Villages have been lost, families displaced, and countless individuals have been stripped of their land. Researchers and local communities are consistently raising concerns about the significant environmental and human costs associated with these dams, many of which are “run-of-the-river” projects. Despite often being presented as having a “low impact,” experts emphasize that in mountainous regions, the cumulative damage is substantial, leading to deforestation, inundation of fertile farmland, and disruption of delicate ecosystems.
Parineeta Dandekar, a river researcher and associate coordinator at the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People, explains, “While these projects are termed ‘run of the river,’ with supposedly limited storage, they involve large dams and tunnels. Some, like Baglihar and the proposed Sawalkot project, do have storage capacity that can affect downstream flows.” Dandekar further notes that while the projects haven’t violated the Indus Waters Treaty, their environmental consequences in Jammu and Kashmir have been considerable, impacting protected areas, forests, groundwater springs, river ecology, and downstream stability, particularly in a climate-stressed and politically sensitive basin like the Chenab.
The concentration of these projects in Kashmir allows India to maximize upstream control, potentially undermining Pakistan and blurring the distinction between infrastructure planning and strategic signaling. These pressures are unfolding in a region already characterized by political instability and deep-seated mistrust regarding shared water resources. Erin Sikorsky, director of the Center for Climate and Security, observes that “climate change is turning river basins like the Chenab into zones of compound risk where water scarcity, political mistrust, and historical conflict reinforce one another.”
Sewarbatti was entirely relocated, forcing Shama, her husband, and their three children to resettle in Dungduro. The compensation received was insufficient to purchase land and construct a new home. “The funds were inadequate even to acquire a plot, let alone build a proper house,” Shama states. “We constructed this small dwelling, but the ongoing blasting from dam construction has caused cracks in the walls, rendering it unsafe.” She gestures to the spreading fissures, questioning, “We lost our land, our means of survival. If this doesn’t constitute helplessness and poverty, what does?”
The Chenab River, originating at Baralacha Pass in Himachal Pradesh, traverses over 300 miles through Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, and Akhnoor districts before entering Pakistan. The river system is facing intensifying risks due to climate change, and the local disruptions are occurring against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, where shared rivers are intrinsically linked to issues of sovereignty, security, and power. Josh Klemm, executive director of International Rivers, emphasizes the need for cooperation, information sharing, and respect for transboundary agreements in shared river basins like the Chenab, particularly given the detrimental effects of run-of-river projects on river ecology in the region.
Impacts on Local Communities and Future Concerns
A short distance from Shama resides Naseema Bano, along with her husband, in-laws, and three daughters. Upon visiting, Naseema stood overlooking her small kitchen garden, which she cultivated after relocating to Dungduro to supplement her family’s food supply. However, she did not anticipate the negative impact of the new environment and nearby construction on her health. “My health has gradually deteriorated,” Naseema shares. “I frequently suffer from fevers, coughs, and chills due to the pollution. I rarely venture outside and remain confined indoors.”
Villagers initially received promises of development, employment, improved roads, and enhanced facilities. However, residents report that these pledges were abandoned once their land was acquired. The area lacks essential services such as a hospital, school, or pharmacy. “My husband earns approximately $340 a month as a daily-wage laborer at the dam construction site,” Naseema explains. “It is barely sufficient. We are slowly losing our struggle for survival.” For families displaced by hydropower expansion, the consequences of climate stress and political conflict are becoming increasingly apparent, manifesting as cracks in homes and illnesses in dwellings that can never replace the land they lost. As climate change accelerates and political trust erodes, the costs of treating rivers as strategic assets rather than shared lifelines are disproportionately borne by those with the least influence over upstream decisions.
