Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, May 12: A large number of Congress activists and ousted Rattle Hydel Power Project workers led by former Minister and MLA Inderwal G M Saroori today held strong protest demonstration at Drabshalla and blocked Batote-Kishtwar highway for about four hours.
The people under the leadership of Mr Saroori sat on dharna on the road and stalled movement of vehicular traffic. The people from tehsil Drabshalla, Bunjwah and Sub-Division Thathri at Drabshallah joined the protest against the State authorities and Project Management of M/s GVR Ltd and LNT Company. These companies have been engaged in constructing of 850 MW Rattle Hydro Electric Power Project on river Chenab at Drabshalla.
While speaking on the occasion, Mr Saroori said Rattle power project is the first mega hydropower project being constructed in the State on Built, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis but the companies failed to start the work on this prestigious project and to give adequate land compensation to the inhabitants of the villages Drabshalla, Kandani and Seghad, set to dislocate due to project.
He asked GVK Management to resume the work on the project within a month time or to leave the project and give other companies a chance that are financially good to construct this project as almost more than 5000 crores will be the expenditure to construct this project.
“There are thousands of unemployed youths in Drabshalla, Saroor, Bunjwah, Thathri, Kahara, Kishtwar and other adjoining areas who are having vast experience in handling various kinds of machineries being used in hydroelectric projects and also from projects like 390 Dool-Hasti Power Project and 450 MW Baglihar Power Project”, Saroori said and added that after resuming the work on the project unemployed youth could get the opportunity of employment in the said project.
Ch Salam Din, Suraj Prakash, Gulzar Ahmed Mattoo, Akhtar Khurway, Mohd Iqbal Keen, Santosh Kumar, Tanveer Mattoo and Swami Raj Bhagat also spoke on the occasion.
Later, Additional District Developmental Commissioner Kishtwar, Avtar Singh Chib reached the spot with Additional SP Abdul Qayoom and assured that District Administration will take up the matter with GVK Managements for resuming the work and clearing all the balance liabilities of sub-contractors and labour class.
After getting assurance from the authorities, the angry protestors relented and lifted the blockade. It is pertinent to mention here that GVK will hand over the project to the State Government after the period of 35 years from the date of commissioning settled for 2017.
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