| Committee finds no headway, takes recourse to RTI Act but fails | | NHPC refuses to share power, information on losses to JK | | Akshay Azad
Jammu, Nov 16: The four members committee constituted by State Government to assess losses, caused by denial of power share from four power projects Uri, Salal, Dulhasti and Sewa, by National Hydel Project Corporation (NHPC) has failed to find any headway as neither Union Power Ministry and NHPC have been providing information under Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Sources informed Early Times that four members' committee constituted by J&K Government last year under Advocate General to assess recovery of losses, had initially sought information from Union Government, but so far not even an iota of information has been furnished by latter. "After holding a series of meetings, the committee had decided to send a communique through Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department to Union Power Ministry to furnish documents related to establishment of Power projects in Jammu and Kashmir by NHPC," sources said.
They further added that after getting cold shoulder from NHPC and Union Power Ministry the four member committee had taken help of Right to Information Act (RTI) and had sought information but latter had not replied to RTI. "An RTI was filed before NHPC and Union Power Ministry by a third party but after getting no reply the third party has filed appeal under RTI Act", sources said, adding that if the Union Power Ministry and NHPC would fail to find information, then it would meant that they were also without any agreement copy and Committee would decide further course of action.
Divulging the details, sources said, the J&K State Government had made agreement with Government of India for the construction of power projects over river of J&K. "After entering on agreement with J&K, the Union Government had allowed National Hydel Project Corporation (NHPC) to construct dams in J&K", sources said, adding that the copies of agreement made between State Government and Government of India were not available with State Government, due to which the committee constituted by State Government had sought copies from Union Government by filing RTI application.
They further informed that once the terms and conditions, copies of agreement between NHPC and GoI, on which the hydel powers were constructed by NHPC in J&K after getting approval from Union Government, would be given to State Government, the State would be in a condition to stake claim over power share. An official pleading anonymity said that initially on the recommendations of Committee working under headship of Advocate General, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD) had written a letter to Union Power Ministry, but latter had not provided any detail, following which an RTI application was filed.
"From the response of Union Power Ministry, it seems that Union Government is in no mood to give agreed power share to State Government", he said.
Pertinently, Jammu and Kashmir has been getting only 12 percent of the power generated by the NHPC from the four power projects including Uri, Salal, Dulhasti and Sewa, against the power share of 20 percent as per the agreement reached between Government of India and J&K Government. |
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