Efforts afoot to harness huge hydro potential: Shabir

2-day National Hydro- Power Convention concludes
Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, June 12: Saying that Hydro Power is a renewable, economic and eco-friendly benign source of energy, the Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmad Khan reiterated State Government’s commitment to make the J&K self-reliant in electricity and to provide hydro energy to other States in future.
Addressing the delegates who participated in 2-day National Hydro-Power Convention held at SKICC, organized by India Tech Foundation on “harnessing hydro-power in Northern Himalayan-challenges and opportunities”, with special focus on Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister said that Government is attaching significant importance to the development of hydro power potential which can bring a turnaround in the state’s economy and power situation.
“Development of hydro electric projects requires substantial investments and the objectives of rapid development of hydro power potential cannot be met wish State funding alone”, he revealed and added that State has, therefore, to look at alternative investment possibilities like private partnership, state funding of projects and private sector investments. He said recognizing this, the Government has already laid down implementation architecture for execution of the projects through these modes.
The Minister said that “J&K is a hydro State and I share the concerns of other states and sure that like us other States are alive to their responsibility of exploiting all their hydle potential for not only all round development of their respective states but whole country”, he said and added that there are impediments that have to be overcome.
“My State has to contend with Indus Water Treaty implications as well, without diluting requirement of adequate mechanism to ensure safety of people and environment as the projects are coming in the public domain, it is for the governments to think of a better, well coordinated and time bound approach to ensure that the flowing water betters our lives and we do not let go the Almighty’s bounty go waste”, he said.
The Minister said that Government has drawn up a road map for massive capacity addition programme of about 8000 MW hydro power generation in next 10 years through different ventures in the State.
The Minister said that Government also endeavours to exploit renewable energy in the State and has initiated setting up of 5MW technology demonstration-cum-resource assessment Geothermal project at Pugah Leh for which bidding process has been completed.