Jammu & Kashmir Socio-Economic Coordination Committee (JKSECC) Wednesday alleged that government is planning to give away another hydroelectric power project to some unknown central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), clandestinely.
Addressing a presser here, member of the JKSECC Hameeda Nayeem said they want to inform the public about the sinister design of present government who are thinking to gift another hydroelectric power project to some central sponsored agency.
Hameeda said, “Conditions for the contract have not been revealed to the public yet and demand from the government to put a halt on this loot and scramble.”
She said the decision was taken in a recent meeting of the State Administrative Council (SAC) on 5th Sep in which they accorded sanction to the formation of a separate joint venture company to develop 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Power Project on Chenab basin.
Hameeda said the Joint Venture Company is intended to be set up by J&K State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) in partnership with an undisclosed central PSU of Government of India (GOI).
She informed that Ratle HEP is located between Dul Hasti HEP and Bhagliar HEP, is considered to be less difficult and convenient for execution.
“Process of obtaining clearances for the project from various authorities has been completed and the project even possesses clearance from the World Bank,” she said.
Hameeda termed decision of the SAC to introduce a partner for execution of Ratle HEP is inexplicable and grossly against people’s interests.
“SAC should not forget that harnessing of power potential is one of the limited avenues available to us for generating our own resources,” she said.
Hameeda warned the government of making disastrous designs in future and said JKSECC takes strong objection to the said proposal as the state has adequate experience, expertise, and capability of managing and executing any new power project.
“We have already successfully launched 900MW Bhagliar Hydroelectric Power Project all by itself more effectively and efficiently than any other player in the field,” she said.
On the occasion, Shakeel Qalander said that our resources are being looted adding that JKSECC holds the bureaucracy squarely responsible for preparing and placing such suspicious proposals before SAC for their approval.
“It needs to be examined seriously how the state bureaucracy is ever ready to move these kinds of proposals during governor’s rule,” Qalander said.
He said that in 2008-09, during the governor’s rule, an MOU was signed regarding the execution of three power projects, Pakal Dul, Kiru and Kawer. He further said that NHPC had earlier failed to execute Pakal Dul HEP allotted to it in 1999-2000 under Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis and deserved to be penalized.
Qalandar said they would have welcomed SAC had it instead taken a decision to strengthen and empower Jammu Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) as an independent and autonomous company on the pattern of J&K Bank.
He said for the interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, JKSECC puts forth the six-point charter of demands to SAC headed by the Governor for immediate action.
The demands include, “SAC decision taken on 5th Sep regarding formation for execution of Ratle HEP be revoked immediately, CVPP built- 2011 should be scrapped immediately, power projects should be returned to people of the state. NHPC must be told to either fulfil the terms of agreement on Sewa II, Uri II, Nimo Bazgo, Chutuk, and Kishen Ganga power projects or vacate these power projects, Burser HEP allotted to NHPC in the year 1999-2000 on BOT should be instantly cancelled, and JKSPDC should be empowered on the pattern of J&K Bank.”
