‘Will not allow wanton exploitation of state resources’
Kishtwar: Expressing reservations over the recent decision by the state administration to formulate Joint Venture Company to execute prestigious Ratlle Power Project on river Chenab, Member Legislative Council Firdous Tak today urged the state administration to come clean on the proposal.
In a statement, issued here today, Tak said that his biggest fear about the center trying to take over the prestigious Rattle power project seems to be coming true as the decision by the SAC has been taken despite Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) fully capable of executing the work on its own.
“To my understanding the JKSPDC had formulated a detailed proposal to take over the project from a private company, which abandoned the work in 2014”, he said adding, “The Corporation has to its credit Baglihar hydel project which is fully operational and there should have been any impediment to take over a fresh project which could be completed within few years”.
“The NHPC, which is behaving as East Indian Company exploiting the state resources and paying peanuts in return, has been since long eying on this prestigious project but the proposals were turned down on several occasions. The JKSPDC could have easily generated finances to execute the project on its own, he said adding that what forced the state administration to move a proposal for JVC is beyond understanding.
Tak demanded that state administration shall make public the details and reasons of such proposal. “The people of Chenab Valley will no longer be mute spectators to such developments in their backyard especially when their own interests were being compromised”
He said that CVPP, already established Joint Venture Company, between the state and center has already taken over several projects in Chenab Valley. “Today the state and especially Chenab Valley has been pushed to walls as the company is working completely under NHPC. Most of the employees engaged have been brought from outside which only cosmetic measures are being taken in the name of local area development and Corporate Social Responsibility”.
The 850 MW Ratle HEP has been conceived as a run of the river project, located on River Chenab near Drabshalla village in Kishtwar District and lies in between Dulhasti HEP on its upstream and Baglihar HEP on its downstream. Among the bigger upcoming projects in Chenab valley, this project is considered as the most conveniently located and most amenable to expeditious development. It can be completed in about 5 years and would benefit the State a lot. The last attempt at promoting it as a PPP project with a 35-year concession period failed. The Joint Venture is the best route now to realize the potential of the Ratle HEP.
He said that the people of Chenab Valley will not allow the wanton exploitation of resources at the cost of geographical and ecological hazards. “The people of this region are suffering badly and the state administration has turned a blind eye towards their plights”, he said adding, “Instead the local population, especially the technically trained and untrained youth, have been left at the mercy of private construction company”.
Comments are closed.