Indus Water Treaty: 3 Patriotic Engineers Played A Major Role

There were 3 Civil Engineers who gave the upper hand to India in control of Punjab waters in 1947. If these 3 engineers had not been there during the partition of India, there would have been no Indian control on rivers. More so, their valuable efforts ultimately led to sign the Indus Water Treaty.

Indian partition was being decided upon in early 1947. Then Radcliffe came to India to make the line. Indian luck was there that engineers AN Khosla and Sarup Singh were employed in Punjab irrigation works, while Kanwar Sen was employed in Bikaner state water department.

Sarup Singh and Khosla saw that Ferozepur was going in Pakistan map. As Engineers, they understood something that others failed to. Sarup Singh secretly wrote a letter to Kanwar Sen in Bikaner & warned him in advance that Ferozepur is going to Pakistan.

Kanwar Sen was also a talented engineer & understood what it meant. It meant— Ferozepur Headworks, the junction which controls 3 major canals including the Gang Canal of Bikaner would be under the control of Pakistan. Kanwar Sen immediately explained the situation to Pannikar, the PM of Bikaner state. They both then met Maharaja of Bikaner Sadul Singh and convinced him to intervene.

Sadul Singh had a personal rapport with Mountbatten. He told Mountbatten if Ferozepur Headworks goes to Pakistan, Bikaner will have no option but to merge with Pakistan for its survival.

It alarmed Congress leadership too. Bikaner state had already refused the Muslim League’s offer to merge and was praised by Jawahar lal Nehru for it.

Nehru got to know about it. He also used his personal push And pull to convince Mountbatten that 3 tehsils in question be given to India. Sardar Patel and VP Menon also had their sources in all internal dealings of the Boundary Commission. They too came forward to talk to Mountbatten.

Ultimately, Ferozepur Headworks along with Ferozepur, Zira, and Fazilka tehsils were awarded to India.

Pakistan shocked

These Headworks which India got, were connected to canals of Pakistan. Indian control on these and hostility of Pakistan forced India to stop their water from Ferozepur headworks. This action compels Pakistan to sign the Indus Water Treaty.

In independent India, Kanwar Sen was the one who conceptualised the Rajasthan canal project now known as Indira Gandhi Canal. He was awarded Padma Bhushan for his services. 

These three engineers had nothing to gain. They could just do paperwork and enjoy their salaries. But their farsightedness and patriotism changed the history in favour of India. In a way, they deserve some credit for making of India.

                                                                             (From Punjab archives)