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| Chenab Valley aghast at Rattle Power Project being handed over to NHPC | | | Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 2: The Government deciding to handover state owned 850 MW Rattle Power Project to NHPC has evoked widespread condemnation. The NHPC has been accused of looting the state's resources and returning peanuts to it.
The NHPC has been further accused of denying jobs to the locals. "Handing over yet another project is another nail in the coffin of state's economy," the locals believe. The decision to handover Ratlle power project to the NHPC has angered the people of Chenab Valley especially Kishtwar youth, who were expecting to get jobs in the project.
Rattle project was started by the NC-Congress government led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during UPA 2 government-the foundation of this project was laid by the former Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh in June 2013.
It is pertinent to mention that the project was a joint venture between GVK and Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Ltd (JKSPDC). As per the agreement, GVK had to handover the project to the state government after the period of 35 years from the date of commissioning of the power project. The project required an investment of around Rs 6000 crore and was slated to be commissioned by 2017. Jammu and Kashmir would have got 16 percent of free power from the project which included 1.5 % for local area development and out of the remaining power the company would have been sold 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 but unfortunately the GVK Limited and LnT left the project mid way after BJP youth leaders allegedly ransacked the company office in 2014. Since then the work on this prestigious power project stands abandoned.
Speaking on this issue, Former MoS Home and MLC from Kishtwar Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo cautioned the government of J&K headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik over tinkering with the state's own resources by handing over the prestigious state owned 850 MW Rattle Power project to NHPC for execution.
He said that BJP and PDP government had demolished the state institutions that were strengthen during NC rule added that now the Government has decided to handover the Project to NHPC-the move which the local people of Chenab valley will resist tooth and nail as the Power project is aimed to boost power sector in the state-- but due to bad policies of the previous PDP-BJP government, two projects viz Rattle & Lower Kalnie are lying abandon since last three year. He said that it was NC Government who played key role in construction of 2 stage 900 MW Baghliar Power project beside also set the stage for 1856 MW Shawlakot power project which too was sabotage by the PDP government at that time.
Former R&B Minister and Senior Congress leader Ghulam Mohammad Saroori said that it is Congress government both centre and state who arranges funds for the construction of power projects in the state added that it is due to Congress efforts, the former PM Manmohan Singh & UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi along with former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad lays the foundation stone of Rattle Project at Drabshala falling in his Inderwal constituency.
PDP Youth President Kishtwar Wasil Doolwal said that "I am of firm belief that the hydel projects proposed on river Chenab will only be disastrous for the region as it will only bring destruction and ecological imbalance. The unfortunate part is that these projects, which were projected as opportunity for employment and economic upliftment, have only added to the misiries and frustration of the educated and unemployed youth of the region".
"NHPC is earning crores from Dul Hasti, but around 90% of its employees were from outside the state. While fresher were being employed from various professional colleges outside the state as part of campus recruitment process the local engineers, business graduates and technically qualified youth have been left at the mercy of God", Said Social activist Shakir Siddiqui who is also the President of Public Awareness Front Kishtwar.
He said that state is the major share holder in CVPP but it was presently directly controlled by NHPC as more than 70 per cent officers at the top level were from outside the state.. |
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