*Game-changer for Kandi belt: Dr Jitendra
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 11: Union Ministry for Water Resources headed by BJP veteran Uma Bharti has forced Punjab to agree to major conditions of Jammu and Kashmir on construction of Shahpur Kandi project over river Ravi, a 30 years old dispute between the two neighbouring States, which seems to be nearing an end.
“It will be a game changer for Kandi belt of Jammu and Punjab right from Pathankot to Kathua, Hiranagar and up to Samba as the land would be irrigated with the canal to be constructed from Shahpur Kandi project for which the people of Kathua district were waiting for nearly three decades ever since Punjab constructed Ranjit Sagar dam,’’ official sources told the Excelsior.
As Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab were unable to end the stalemate, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, who also represents Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha constituency, urged the Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and her officers to mediate.
Sources said top officers of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab including Punjab Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal and J&K Commissioner/Secretary PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sanjeev Verma (on behalf of Chief Secretary BR Sharma) met in New Delhi in the presence of Union Water Resources Ministry officials in which Punjab conceded several long pending demands of Jammu and Kashmir including giving entire power generated by Shahpur Kandi project to Jammu and Kashmir and bearing major expenditure on the project. The Chief Secretary of J&K couldn’t attend the meeting due to pre-occupation.
Sources said Punjab has agreed to bear entire cost of construction of project, giving entire electricity generated from the project to Jammu and Kashmir and some other conditions laid down by Jammu and Kashmir Government. However, it wants Jammu and Kashmir to shelve the demand for compensation of past 30 years, which, otherwise, also Punjab was not going to concede.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who took the initiative for construction of Shahpur Kandi project, told the Excelsior that the project would be a game-changer for entire Kandi belt of Kathua and Samba districts.
“The Kandi belt of Kathua and Samba will no longer be called the Kandi belt as construction of kanal from Shahpur Kandi will irrigate the land of Pathankot, Kathua and Samba districts and change fortunes of the people of rural belt, who were waiting for this to happen for the past 30 years but continued to suffer. There would be so much irrigation from the project that it would no longer be called the Kandi belt,’’ he said.
Apart from this, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the project would also deliver a blow to Pakistan which was getting excess water from river Ravi in Punjab. The flow of excess water to Pakistan would stop once Shahpur Kandi project is constructed, he added.
When approached for comment, Chief Secretary BR Sharma said he couldn’t make it to the meeting with top Punjab officials held in New Delhi and had deputed PHE Administrative Secretary Sanjeev Verma for the meeting. He added that talks were on and a final decision would be taken after taking into account the criteria.
However, according to sources, Punjab, at the high level meeting with J&K and Union Water Resources Ministry officials, has agreed to bear entire cost for construction of project and giving electricity generated from it to J&K, which would be added bonus for the State.
Punjab has kept budgetary provision for the project and kept ready tendering work once Jammu and Kashmir conveys its formal nod for the project. However, Punjab was not ready to consider demand of Jammu and Kashmir for 30 years compensation for construction of Ranjit Sagar dam saying there were procedural wrangles involved in it.
Sources said the Union Water Resources Ministry officials too were of the view that Jammu and Kashmir should give up its demand for 30 years compensation in lieu of Punjab bearing construction cost of the project and giving entire electricity generated from it to Jammu and Kashmir.
According to sources, construction of Shahpur Kandi project over river Ravi in Punjab, bordering Kathua district of Jammu, would also help check flow of excess water to Pakistan, which the neighbouring country was getting due to 30 years delay in construction of the project.
Under the Indus Water Treaty water of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers of Punjab had come in the share of India while that of Chenab, Jhelum and Indus (Sindhu) was to be shared with Pakistan. After last month’s Uri attack, the Centre was considering snapping Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.
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