Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 31: Hundreds of families/individuals affected due to submergence of entire Pul Doda area in the dam of Baglihar Hydroelectric Project on river Chenab have been awaiting justice during the past eight years.
Around 300 families/shopkeepers were dislocated due to submergence of entire Pul Doda area on account of acquisition of land/impounding of water on account of construction of Baglihar project at Chanderkote.
In order to rehabilitate the project affected families, Rehabilitation Plan was prepared by the Doda district administration, which was approved vide Government Order No. Rev(LAJ) 149 of 2008 dated May 22, 2008.
In order to provide five marlas of alternate land to each affected family and one marla of land to each affected shopkeeper, acquisition proceedings for land measuring 135 kanals and 18 marlas in the villages of Jangalwar, Khellani and Peryote were initiated. However, Rehabilitation Plan could not be implemented during the past eight years because of varied reasons including resentment from the land owners whose land was proposed to be acquired for the rehabilitation/settlement.
Accordingly, a revised package was approved involving an amount of Rs 1167.11 lakh. However, an amount of only Rs 586.82 lakh was released by the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Ltd. In this way, the displaced families and individuals have been awaiting justice during the past eight years.
Raising the issue in the Assembly, MLA Doda, Shakti Parihar said, “it is unfortunate that affected people are awaiting justice despite the fact that they played crucial role in ensuring construction of Baglihar project”.
On his query, the Government said, “as soon as the requisite funds are received by the district administration, further action with regard to rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected families will be taken”.
On this, he remarked, “it seems there is no immediate end to grievances of affected people”, adding “if Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation can earn profit of thousands of crores from the project every year what is the hitch in providing assistance for rehabilitation of affected people”.
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