New Delhi, Aug 8: With India and Pakistan set for a battle in an international court to settle their dispute over the Jammu and Kashmir-based Kishenganga hydel project, the Government of India has earmarked Rs 30 crore to take care of the legal expenses.
Accusing India of breaching the provisions of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty by diverting water of the Jhelum tributary for its Kishenganga project, Pakistan had sought international arbitration in May this year after the two countries failed to resolve the issue bilaterally for over two decades.
Both the countries have already nominated two arbitrators each to contest their case in an international court of arbitration.
India and Pakistan have left it to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Rector, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London and Lord Justice of England to decide on the three umpires, including the Chairman, to set up the court to settle the matter.
The Supplementary Demands for Grants passed by the Lok Sabha last week has kept aside Rs 30 crore "for meeting fees of Arbitrators/Umpires and Experts for proceedings of Court of Arbitration on Kishenganga Hydro-Electric project."
Besides the fees of umpires and arbitrators, the amount will be used to pay for the Treasurer of the Court and court secretariat which will be set up.
According to the Treaty, both the countries have to place "sufficient fund" at the disposal of the respective Indus Commissioners to meet
the initial expenditure of the umpires to enable them attend the first meeting of the court. The payments are made in US dollars.
At its first meeting, the court would make an estimate of the likely expenses of the proceedings "and call upon each party to pay to the treasurer half of the expenses estimated."
The first court meeting is likely to take place sometime later this year.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST