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| Pak opposes commissioning of power projects in J&K | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Feb 12
Even though the work on the Sawalakot project has not been started, Pakistan has again raised objections against the plan of constructing five major power projects in Jammu and Kashmir State.
Official sources said that Islamabad had begun voicing its resentment against the proposed power projects after it learnt that work on the 1200 MW Sawalkot project, 240 MW Uri-II,1000 MW Pakul Dal and 330 MW Kishenganga projects had been started. Pakistan has, according to reports reaching here from across the border, raised objections against the construction of new power projects, which would have the capacity of generating 3900 MW of electricity, on the plea that once these projects get operational they could result in major water shortages in Pakistan.
Reports said that the Pakistani experts have even gone to the extent of fearing major disaster in Pakistan in the event of earthquake. These experts have referred to the 1200 MW Sawalkot project to be built in Doda-Udhampur belt on the Chenab and say that since the project is to be located in the seismic zone of the Kashmir Himalayas it could prove disastrous for Pakistan in the event the Himalayan belt is rocked by earthquake. These experts have also referred to the height of dams and the capacity of the pondage saying that the dam height and pondage of Sawalkot power project would be higher than Mangla Dam (in Pakistan) and the Bhaglihar in Doda.
Referring to the 330 MW Kishenganga project on the Jehlum river, the experts from neighbouring country have said that once the project is to be completed by 2016 it would stop flow of water into the Jehlum. The work on Uri-II is also an irritant to Islamabad when Delhi has made it clear that after part of the river waters were utilised for power generation water would again gush into the rivers and flow into Pakistan.
Sources however, said that the Government has rejected Pakistan's charge that Islamabad was not informed about the plan of constructing five hydel power projects. They said since India was supposed to inform Pakistan, under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, required information had been sent in advance.
They explained that under the Indus Water Treaty India has to seek clearance from Pakistan once the former formulated plans for generating water of three rivers, Indus, Chenab and the Jehlum, for power generation and irrigation.
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