Adil Lateef
Srinagar, Sept 27: Controversy over land acquisition of a single transmission tower of Kishanganga Power Project in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district is hampering the completion of the project that is slated to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Seventy towers of the transmission line are ready but a lone tower in village Chek Lawaypora in Bandipora district is hampering the completion of entire project that is almost complete.
The five families from Chek Lawaypora village of the Bandipora district said that they have been fighting District Administration Bandipora for last seven months tirelessly to save their agricultural land, which Government wants to acquire, “but in return they have been threatened, abused and intimidated into submission”. They said that the land was the only property for their survival and won’t allow any acquisition for the transmission line.
The families in the recent past also protested against the construction of transmission towers in their village. “Despite our hard efforts, the District Administration is hell bent in snatching our property forcefully and handing it over to the Power Corporation for the construction of transmission tower which falls near residential area,” they alleged.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Sajjad Hussain Ganaie when contacted told Excelsior that Kishenganga is a prestigious project and only one transmission tower is to be erected. “We have already constructed 70 other transmission towers. The project cannot wait for a single tower. If the families don’t give consent to construct the tower we would be forced to go for ‘compulsory acquisition’ which is neither good for them nor for us,” he said.
The DC said that the families were ignorant about the issue “after we made them understood about the importance of the project they have agreed”. “I met them personally and don’t think they will continue with the same attitude. We have taken them into confidence. Let’s wait for some days,” he said.
The DC informed that none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the project after completion. He said that the Kishenganga Project is expected to be completed in November this year.
Work on Kishanganga Project which comprises of three units of 110 MW each was started in January 2009 by NHPC Limited (erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation).
The Project that came at a cost of Rs. 5783.17 crore faced many road blocks including objection by Pakistan. The International Court of Arbitration gave its “final award” on December 20, 2013, wherein it allowed India to go ahead with the construction of the Kishanganga dam and the court delivered its “final award” after India requested clarification of an order issued by it in February.
Earlier this year in March, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had directed the Power Ministry and the J&K Government to expedite work on the two major Kishanganga transmission lines that are to be commissioned along with the first unit of the crucial project. Two transmission lines — the Kishanganga-Amargarh and the Amargarh-Wagoora lines — are to be commissioned by the Power Ministry.
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