Built by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) with 60 MW four units Uri II power house was designed to generate 1124 million units per year and thus ease power woes of the Valley especially during winter months, has been consumed by devastating fire, which according to some source, would take not less than four months to become functional. Parts of destroyed machinery have to be imported. Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din, in whose constituency the project falls, has demanded a court of inquiry into the incident.
We would like to raise two cogent points. First the power house is physically located at a very sensitive place close to the LoC. It is common knowledge that saboteurs would want to hit the power house and render it dysfunctional. When election tempo is rising, did the authorities ensure that security of the power house is foolproof? This needs to be inquired into. After all we have precedents of miscreants sabotaging such critical installations in the past. Secondly, if the elected representative of the people of the locality had repeatedly warned the Government that he suspected sub-standard material was used in the construction of the power house, what corrective measures were taken by the authorities or the NHPC? Why was his warning ignored? Obviously doubts are raised on firm basis and the Government shall have to provide a convincing reply. Apart from the fact that anything between 200 ad 300 crore worth machinery has been destroyed, the biggest problem it has posed is for the people of the Valley who have to face a sever winter ahead. They expected some relief when the power house was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 4 this year but now all their hopes are dashed to the ground. Therefore there is very little to say about incidental cause of the fire and there is too much to be said about wilful negligence of the authorities. Let a court of inquiry be set up and facts of the situation made known to people.
Follow our WhatsApp channel