Abstract
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir watersheds in Pakistan are part of a geo-strategic border region with India. These watersheds consist of high mountains that feature snow and ice (glaciers) and which all play a crucial role for rivers – namely Jhelum, Neelum and Poonch – affecting the well-being of millions people in the area and downriver. The area is predominately covered by a muslim culture promoting a more holistic approach to nature. Pakistan is covered by 2% with forests but this resource is already heavily overburdened and the outlook is unlikely sustainable while human pressures are rising, including harvest of mushrooms and other non-timber products. A protected area network exist but they are not so effective, thus far (‘paper parks’) and poaching is widely found in the region. Climate change has already resulted into drying and flooding and, so far, insufficient capacity and resources exist to handle those topics in a civil way and to protect the water sheds.
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Appendix: List of Hydropower Projects in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Watersheds in Various Stages of Development and Under Different Agency Jurisdictions
Appendix: List of Hydropower Projects in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Watersheds in Various Stages of Development and Under Different Agency Jurisdictions
Number | Name | Power | Agency | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Patikka | 0.05 | HEB | Operational |
2. | Changan | 0.05 | HEB | Operational |
3. | Kel | 0.4 | HEB | Operational |
4. | Kathai | 1.6 | HEB | Operational |
5. | Leepa | 1.6 | HEB | Operational |
6. | Kundal Shahi | 2 | HEB | Operational |
7. | Sharian | 3.2 | HEB | Operational |
8. | Jagran – I | 30.4 | HEB | Operational |
9. | New Bong Escape | 84 | PPC | Operational |
10. | Jari | 1 | PPC | Operational |
11. | Chinari | 0.2 | PPC | Operational |
12. | Mangla | 1000 | WAPDA | Operational |
13. | Halmat | 0.32 | HEB | Under construction |
14. | Hillan | 0.6 | HEB | Under construction |
15. | Dhanna | 1.5 | HEB | Under construction |
16. | Hajira | 3 | HEB | Under construction |
17. | Sharda | 3 | HEB | Under construction |
18. | Rerah | 3.2 | HEB | Under construction |
19. | Battar | 4.8 | HEB | Under construction |
20. | Chamfall | 6.4 | HEB | Under construction |
21. | Jhing – I | 14.4 | HEB | Under construction |
22. | Jagran- II | 43.5 | HEB | Under construction |
23. | Patrind | 147 | PPIB | Under construction |
24. | Kohala | 1100 | WAPDA | Under construction |
25. | Neelum-Jhelum | 969 | WAPDA | Under construction |
26. | Naghdar | 39 | HEB | Planning or feasibility stage |
27. | Doarian | 46 | HEB | Planning or feasibility stage |
28. | Shontar | 52 | HEB | Planning or feasibility stage |
29. | Luat | 63 | HEB | Planning or feasibility stage |
30. | Jari II | 2.5 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
31. | Dakhari | 2.2 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
32. | Kathai – III | 1 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
33. | Hotreri | 5.4 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
34. | Jhing – II | 4 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
35. | Riali – III | 3.7 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
36. | Riali-II | 4.9 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
37. | Riali-I | 1.6 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
38. | Ashkot | 40 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
39. | Jagran-III | 35 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
40. | Khoja Seri | 2 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
41. | Kundian | 48 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
42. | Madar Batdara | 10.2 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
43. | Samani | 1.6 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
44. | Sarhota | 1 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
45. | Sarswah | 0.7 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
46. | Pothi | 1 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
47. | Barar | 1 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
48. | Gumot Nar | 40 | PPC | Planning or feasibility stage |
49. | Rajdhani | 132 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
50. | Gulpur | 100 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
51. | Kotli | 100 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
52. | Karote | 720 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
53. | Azad Pattan | 222 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
54. | Kohala | 1100 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
55. | Changan-II | 9 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
56. | Taobat | 10 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
57. | Janawahi | 12 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
58. | Mahl | 511 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
59. | Harighel | 53 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
60. | Abbasian | 360 | PPIB | Planning or feasibility stage |
61. | Kundal Shahi – II | 600 | WAPDA | Planning or feasibility stage |
62. | Dudhnial | 960 | WAPDA | Planning or feasibility stage |
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Awan, M.N., Kabir, M., Ahmad, S., Huettmann, F. (2020). The Future of Biodiversity in the Changing Watersheds of Kashmir Himalaya, Pakistan: Conservation Challenges and Opportunities. In: Regmi, G., Huettmann, F. (eds) Hindu Kush-Himalaya Watersheds Downhill: Landscape Ecology and Conservation Perspectives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36275-1_7
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