news details |
|
|
| As Pak raises objections, 850 MW Rattle, 330 MW Krishan Ganga HEP hit road blockade | | J&K continues to suffer on account of Indus Water Treaty | | Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 25: The hopes of unemployed youths who were eagerly waiting for restart of work on 850 MW Rattle Hydro Electrical Power Project, the work on which was suspended a year ago after difference emerges between the main contractor GVK Powers limited and its sub contractor L&T, has once again hit road blockade after Pakistani government raised objection on the construction of the project on the plea that it comes within the ambit of Indus Water Treaty (ITW) signed between the two countries which gives rights to Pakistani government on three major rivers of Jammu and Kashmir including on river Chenab. Former Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh also laid the inauguration stone of 850 MW Rattle project on 25th of June 2013 which gives ray of hope for the unemployed youths of Kishtwar District, but the hopes of the local unemployed youths starts diminishing soon after the project management engaged the employees from outside state before financial crunch led to stopping of work on the project over a year ago.
As per the details available with "Early Times", the government of Pakistan after canceling of National Security Level talks with India rejected the offer of government of India to hold bilateral talks on the hydro power projects viz 850 MW Rattle HEP constructed on River Chenab at Drabshala Tehsil of Kishtwar District and 330 MW Krishan Ganga HEP constructed on Krishan Ganga, a tributary of river Jhelum in Bhandipora District of Jammu and Kashmir and decided to move for 3rd party arbitration thus will cause further delay in start of construction work on the Rattle power project. The Pakistani government has raised the objection on the design of the power projects, saying they will obstruct the flow of water to a degree that violates the Indus Water Treaty, signed between the two countries on sharing the water of Indus river tributaries including Chenab and Jhelum rivers.
The objection raised time and again by the Pakistan government over the construction of its own power project costs heavily to the state government from time to time including at the time of construction of 450 MW Baghliar power project which escalates the construction cost of the project by several hundred crores. After fighting for several years, the 3rd party arbitrator upheld the design of Baghliar power project with minor modification that includes reduction in Dam height by one meter.
The delegation from Ministry of Water Resources of Pakistan in 2013 also visited Kishtwar District and inspected the project site along with Indian officials, but despite accepting the Rattle Power project design at that time, Pakistan action only aimed to linger on the construction work on the project that will add to a financial burden on the state government.
It is pertinent to mention that the project will be constructed in a joint venture with Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Ltd (JKSPDC) for procurement of power on a long-term basis from the 850 MW Rattle Hydro Electric Power Project to be constructed on river Chenab in mountainous Kishtwar District under Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT). As per the agreement, GVK will hand over the project to the state government after the period of 35 years from the date of commission of the power project. The project that will require an investment of around Rs 6000 crore and if things goes well the project is slated to be commissioned by 2017.
Rattle Power Project is the first hydel power project in the country that has been awarded through a tariff based competitive bidding process. This project also has the unique distinction of being the first private sector investment in the power sector in the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir will get 16 percent of free power from the GVK Power and Infrastructure Limited which includes 1.5 % for local area development and out of the remaining power the company will sell power to the state at a cost of Rs 1.44 per unit, which is less than the unit price paid by the state government while purchasing the power from Northern grid thus will save approximately an amount of Rs. 1200-1400 Cr annually to the state government once the power project will start generating the power.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
