Major steps towards utilizing water of rivers covered under IWT
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 10: Following the intervention of Prime Minister’s Office aimed at ensuring that every drop of water flowing through eastern river system is optimally utilized as per the provisions of Indus Water Treaty, the State Government has initiated steps towards ratification of the agreement relating to Shahpur Kandi Dam Project and execution of Ujh Multi Purpose Project.
The decisions in this regard were taken in a Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti at Civil Secretariat Srinagar yesterday evening.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not satisfied with the utilization of water of rivers which are covered under Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan and his priority is to ensure that all the hurdles are removed so that country obtains optimum benefit of potential. He has assigned the task of holding deliberations on this aspect to certain bureaucrats in his office so that practical shape is given to the prestigious and strategic projects.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that construction of Shahpur Kandi Dam Project for which agreement was signed between Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab on January 20, 1979 and whose fate is hanging in balance during the past over three decades, came under discussion in a review meeting of prestigious and strategic projects held under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary to Prime Minister on July 3, 2017.
The Chief Secretary and Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, who attended the meeting through video conferencing, were impressed upon to ratify the agreement signed by the Irrigation Secretaries of J&K and Punjab on March 3, 2017 for paving the way for implementation of bilateral agreement of 1979 and full utilization of water of eastern rivers under Indus Water Treaty.
Accordingly, a memorandum was prepared by the Department of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control and the same was cleared by the Cabinet yesterday by according sanction for the ratification of agreement signed between Irrigation Secretaries of J&K and Punjab to spell out modalities for implementation of original agreement signed by both the States in January 1979.
“This decision will facilitate immediate resumption of work on Shahpur Kandi Dam Project”, sources said, adding the Cabinet has also authorized the PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department to execute necessary addendum to the agreement to formalize arrangement for construction of Shahpur Kandi Project.
Highlighting the benefits of ratification of the agreement dated March 3, 2017 signed in the presence of Secretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources, sources said that Punjab will immediately release the balance cost of land compensation and other allied items which is approximately more than Rs 115 crore. Apart from this, 861 affected persons will be provided employment in the construction of dam.
Over one lakh acres of Kandi area of Samba and Kathua districts falling in the command of Ravi Canal will get irrigation facility, sources said while disclosing that Punjab Government has already agreed to supply the power at the rate of Rs 3.50 per unit subject to the approval of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) as soon as the work is resumed.
After resumption of work of Shahpur Kandi Dam, J&K will start getting 20% of the power generated from Ranjit Sagar Dam and another 20% from the Shahpur Kandi power plant after its completion and commissioning. Moreover, J&K will save Rs 14 crore annually on account of power and operational and maintenance charges being paid for lift stations at Basantpur and Lakhanpur.
“Punjab has also agreed to construct balance portion of Ravi Canal for a length of 2.3 kilometer and canal siphon for carrying water for Kashmir canal out of cost of National Project funded by Government of India and J&K is not required to make any investment of this account”, sources said, adding “the issue of losses which J&K has already suffered on account of agriculture and power due to non-construction of Shahpur Kandi Dam and non-release of power from Ranjit Sagar Dam will be referred to arbitration as per Clause 16 of the Agreement of 1979”.
According to the sources, Ujh Multi Purpose Project, which also falls in prestigious and strategic projects, also came up for discussion in a meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to Prime Minister on July 3, 2017 and the Chief Secretary was asked to convey willingness of the State Government to Government of India for execution of project, whose fate is hanging in balance since 2008.
The State Cabinet yesterday accorded in principle approval to the execution of the project subject to certain conditions. It was decided in the meeting that ownership rights of the project will vest with J&K Government.
“The maximum height of the dam will be 110 meters and if required the height will be reduced further to ensure minimum displacement/dislocation of the inhabitants as far as possible”, sources said, adding “with the reduction in the height of the dam the submergence area will be around 34 square kilometer as against earlier worked out area of 41 square kilometer without significant loss of benefits”.
Stating that project will be entirely funded by the Government of India, sources said that relief and rehabilitation plan will be part of the project which will be implemented under the aegis of the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabili-tation and Reconstruction Department. The Cabinet has authorized the PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department to finalize the DPR in consultation with the Central Water Commission and concretize the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of India for execution of the project by finalizing all the modalities.
Highlighting the benefits of the projects, sources said that State will be benefited in irrigation and power sectors. The project will generate power to the tune of 162 MW at a dam height of 110 meters and play a vital role in bridging the gap between demand and the availability of power in the power deficit State. Moreover, the project will provide irrigation facilities to additional 31380 hectares of cultivable land sandwiched between the proposed multipurpose dam and the existing Ravi Canal.
The project will also mitigate flood damages due to flash floods in River Ujh and create huge lake setting up a chain of economic activities connected with tourism resulting into economic transformation of the area all around. Moreover, the project will supplement the water in Ravi Canal.
“Basmati rice which is already grown in command area of existing Ravi Canal just across the National Highway can be grown in the Kandi areas of Ujh command provided sufficient irrigation water is available”, sources further said.
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