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| Who will bell the cat, state government in dilemma | | NHPC chairman arriving today | | Bashir Assad
JAMMU, Apr 3: It is beyond comprehension as to whether the state government is really committed to renegotiate the power sharing agreements with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation especially in the backdrop of voting against the resolution moved by independent MLA Er. Rashid seeking transfer of power projects to the state . Though on one hand the state cabinet has approved the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub Committee seeking transfer of Salal, Uri and Dulhasti power projects to the state on depreciated cost, yet its opposition to Er. Rashid's resolution in the House has created more doubts than before about the real intentions of the government.
Analysts attribute the opposition of National Conference-Congress coalition government to Rashid's resolution to the latest statement of Union Power Minister wherein he made it clear that the union government has no intentions to transfer the projects to the state citing the age of the projects as the reason. However, Chairman/Managing Director NHPC ABL Srivastava is arriving here tomorrow to meet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to discuss some crucial issues including the cabinet decision on Uri, Salal and Dulhasti hydroelectric power projects run by the corporation in the state. Sources within government said that a very crucial meeting has been slated for Wednesday with chief minister Omar Abdullah in chair and the meeting will be attended by ABL Srivastava chairman of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and officials of Power Development Department and representatives of Joint Venture Company (JVC) which is executing three important power projects of the aggregate capacity of 2012 MWs on Chenab Basin in Kishtawar area.
It merits a mention here that the state cabinet has approved the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) which was constituted to look into various issues arising from the terms and conditions of entrustment of the hydroelectric projects to the NHPC in the state and the committee has recommended transfer of Uri, Salal and Dulhasti to the state on depreciated cost. The Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (PDC) has been authorized to workout the present cost of projects on the basis of internationally accepted norms which can form the basis for further negotiation with the government of India/NHPC. Sources within the government said that localizing the administration in the NHPC run projects in the state, more share in employment (both skilled and semiskilled ) to safeguard the interests of the state shall also come up for discussion during the meeting.
Pertinently, in complete disregard to the agreements reached upon earlier with the state government, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has engaged 99% outsiders on class A, B, C and D levels in all the projects in Jammu and Kashmir which is likely to generate public debate in coming days.
After controversy over illegally operating major Jammu and Kashmir based Power projects, the ratio and nature of employment being provided to the locals by NHPC has become yet another contentious issue.
Though the NHPC earns 52% of its total revenue from the Jammu and Kashmir based power projects being run by it, there is not even a single person from J&K on the executive board of the corporation. There is one chairman and four full time directors on the executive board of the corporation and none among them is from Jammu and Kashmir.
Down the lane the seven projects barring Dulhasti HEP, run by the corporation in Jammu and Kashmir are headed by outsiders and the subordinate engineering staff in these projects is from other states.
"Not a single engineer has been appointed by the corporation from Jammu and Kashmir in during past ten or twelve years" sources said.
Though there is an agreement signed by the then Union Power Minister Kumaramanglam and the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Farooq Abdullah in the year 2000 which provides for 100% of class C &D employees from the state and 30% A and B class employees on deputation basis from the state but the in total disregard to the agreement not even a single person has been appointed on class A and B on direct or deputation basis.
It merits a mention here that Shri P.R. Kumaramangalam Union Minister of Power and Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 20, 2000 for execution of 7 hydroelectric power projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the MoU, ...requirement of C&D posts will be met by NHPC through local employment exchanges in J&K. For group A & B posts, 30% personnel will be taken by NHPC on deputation from the J&K government.
However, against this local manpower in Kishenganga, Uri-II, Bursar, Sewa-II Pakal Dul, Nimmo Bazgo and Chutak is almost negligible.
Moreover, Executive Director Jammu region O P Thakur is from Himachal Pradesh, General Manager (GM) Salal HEP is from UP, GM Uri-I, GM Uri-II, GM Kishenganga, Chief Engineer Nimoo Buzgoo (Leh), Chief Engineer Chutuk (Kargil) all are outsiders. Chief Engineer Sewa and GM Dulhasti are, however, locals.
"Resources that directly lead to expansion of infrastructural base and creation of other viable economic opportunities are the ones which play a lead role in economic transformation but unfortunately in our state the resources are plundered by NHPC leading to power crises on one side and on the other side squeezing the employment opportunities for the locals" said a senior journalist. . J&K ironically is one state, he said, which though rich in water resource has yet to realise its full potential of an economically developed state due to its abysmally poor power scenario.
"The state has lent its waters to NHPC for power generation but after so many years have received only flawed agreements and power starvation in return, forcing the state to beg for power from the Northern Grid. When the state should have been self sufficient in power and employment generation, it is spending crores of rupees in buying the power which is being produced within its own territory " the journo said.
While J&K may be the hen that is laying the golden eggs for NHPC, the state itself is in the grip of acute power crisis and unemployment problem . |
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