Punjab begins cutting of trees; J&K to start shortly
*Report on compliance of NDSA parameters shortly
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 11: Though work on prestigious Shahpur Kandi dam project on River Ravi has almost been completed yet full storage of water will begin only after cutting of around 50,000 trees by the Government of Punjab and Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and submission of report on compliance of National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) parameters, which will take at least three months.
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Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that Irrigation Department of Government of Punjab has almost completed civil works of the Shahpur Kandi dam project, which was declared as National Project by the Union Ministry of Water Resources in the month of February 2008, while as electro-mechanical works have been carried out by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited.
The full storage of water in the dam will take at least three months for want of cutting of trees by the Government of Punjab and Government of J&K Union Territory. “In Punjab side, around 25,000 to 26,000 trees are to be cut before filling the dam up to its full capacity while as equal number of trees are supposed to be axed on J&K side”, said Chief Engineer Canals of Punjab Government Sher Singh when contacted.
“We have obtained the permission for the same and even started the work. J&K Government awaits necessary clearance in this regard from the concerned authorities at the Government of India, which I suppose they will obtain in next few days in the light of the fact that this prestigious project will immensely benefit both the sides”, he said.
According to Chief Engineer Canals, a committee has been constituted by the Government of Punjab to submit report on the compliance of the pre-requisites of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), which is imperative step before resorting to full storage of dam. “I think after three months we will be able to start full storage of dam”, he added.
In response to a question, he said, “the power plant, which is part of this prestigious project, will be completed by ending next year and necessary steps in this regard have been taken by the Punjab Government”, adding “the plant will have seven units. Power House-I will have three units of 33 Mega Watts each while as Power House-II will have three units of 33 MW each and one unit of 8 MW”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting regular budget for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the financial year 2024-25, had stated in the Parliament that work on Shahpur Kandi dam project has progressed well and will help Jammu and Kashmir get its due share of 1,150 cusec water from the River Ravi.
The Shahpur Kandi dam project has several benefits for Jammu and Kashmir as it will provide irrigation facility to 32173 hectares of land in Kathua and Samba districts and this will be done using gravity-fed irrigation, which is simplier than the lift technique previously used. Moreover, dam’s 206 Mega Watts hydropower plant will generate 1042 million units of electricity annually and J&K will also get its share from that.
The dam will act as a balancing reservoir to ensure steady supply of water to the downstream canal system and to make the best use of releases from the nearby Ranjit Sagar Dam. Moreover, the dam will provide silt-free water to existing and planned powerhouses.
It is pertinent to mention here that the then Prime Minister P V Narsimha Rao had laid foundation stone of Shahpur Kandi project in 1995. This project faced many hurdles from very beginning due to the dispute between the Governments of J&K and Punjab. The work also remained suspended on the project for many years and finally the same resumed in 2018 with the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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