Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, Sept 6: Expressing reservations over the recent decision by the State administration to formulate Joint Venture Company (JVC) to execute prestigious Ratlle Power Project (RPP) on river Chenab, MLC Firdous Tak today urged the State administration to come clean on the proposal.
In a statement, here today, Tak said that he fears that Centre is trying to take over the prestigious RPP as the decision by the State administration has been taken despite Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) is fully capable of executing the work on its own.
“To my understanding the JKSPDC had formulated a detailed proposal to take over the project from a private company, which abandoned the work in 2014”, he said adding: “The Corporation has to its credit Baglihar Hydel Project which is fully operational. There should be no impediment for JKSPDC to take over a fresh project.”
“NHPC is exploiting the State resources and paying peanuts in return and it is now eying RPP but the proposals were turned down on several occasions,” Tak stated.
He asked while JKSPDC could have easily generated finance to execute RPP on its own, why was the proposal for JVC moved?
Tak demanded that making public the details and reasons of such proposal.
“Today the State especially Chenab valley has been pushed to wall as many power projects are completely under NHPC,” he maintained adding that most of the employees engaged have been brought from outside and only cosmetic measures are being taken in the name of local area development and Corporate Social Responsibility.
The 850 MW RPP has been conceived as a run of the river project, located on River Chenab near Drabshalla village in Kishtwar District and lies in between Dulhasti HEP on its upstream and Baglihar HEP on its downstream. Among the bigger upcoming projects in Chenab valley, this project is considered as the most conveniently located and most amenable to expeditious development.
“It can be completed in about 5 years and would benefit the State a lot. The last attempt at promoting it as a PPP project with a 35-year concession period failed. The Joint Venture is the best route now to realize the potential of the RPP,” he further said.
He said that people of Chenab Valley are suffering badly and the State administration has turned a blind eye towards their plights.
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