*CS level talks being held on Sept 4 to resolve issue
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 30: The J&K Government today forcibly removed the machinery of Punjab Government from its territory in Basantpur area of district Kathua at the bank of river Ravi as Ranjit Sagar Dam authorities started work on Shahpur Kandi barrage without the consent of J&K authorities.
Today, a team of District Administration Kathua led by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal and SSP Mohan Lal along with Revenue Officers and senior engineers from RTIC and Irrigation Department, assisted by strong police contingent moved to the site near Basantpur, where Punjab Government had started digging work for the construction of barrage, as second part of Ranjit Sagar Dam. Without taking consent of J&K Government, the Punjab Dam authorities had intruded inside nearly 3000 kanals of J&K territory and had covered construction area of nearly 220 kanals of J&K Government land.
Following directions from the J&K Government, the District Administration Kathua led by DC reached the spot along with Revenue team and stopped the work. Deputy Commissioner Pathankote (Pb) Sukhwinder Singh also reached the spot and after discussion between two sides, the work was stopped. The J&K Revenue team showed the record on the spot and forced the Punjab State Dam authorities to stop work. Heavy machinery including half a dozen JCBs had been engaged at work at the river site. The District Administration got the area cleared with the removal of heavy machinery and other material dumped there. They were also told to remove temporary structures from J&K territory.
The Punjab Dam authorities had already been conveyed by the RTIC and J&K Irrigation authorities not to intrude in the J&K area as State was no more interested in the Shahpur Kandi barrage and taking any benefit out of it but the Punjab Government without bothering about the communications, continued work. The District authorities took up the matter with the Chief Secretary and Commissioner/ Secretary PHE, I&FC and the Government directed to stop work.
DC Kathua Sahid Iqbal when contacted said that after receiving information from RTIC authorities, an Inquiry Commission led by AR Revenue Kathua including, Tehsildar, two Executive Engineers and DSP DAR Kathua was constituted on August 22. After visiting area, the team submitted report to him and it was found that they have been working on nearly 3000 kanal area of J&K State while construction on nearly 230 kanals of land had been raised. The team had also asked them about week back to stop work but it continued.
“The matter was taken up with the Commissioner/ Secretary PHE, I&FC Pawan Kotwal and Chief Secretary Iqbal Khandey and following directions from the top, the operation was launched. As per Revenue record, at this point, some area on that side of the river and even in the middle falls under J&K territory. The record was taken on the spot and DC Pathankote Sukhwinder Singh also reached there. The DC Pathankote and Dam authorities requested to allow work till issue is resolved at Chief Secretary level between the two Governments but we did not allow. Even we have assessed the loss to the tune of Rs 2.15 crore and we are going to claim it from Punjab Government. The area has also been demarcated now by raising pillars” Mr Iqbal maintained.
Chief Engineer RTIC K K Gupta said that since the Punjab Government has scrapped the Treaty of 1979 between the two States in its Legislature in 2004 without bothering for J&K, there is no point in allowing the Punjab Dam authorities to work on the project. Earlier, they denied due share of power from Thein Dam to the J&K State and Irrigation water facilities for over two decades by not commencing work on the Shahpur Kandi barrage, now when J&K Government projected losses of over 11,000 crore and demanded from Punjab they made up mind to go for construction of project at its own will.
Even they went for arbitration and it went against Punjab Government. The J&K Government has already conveyed to Punjab that they are no more interested in Shahpur Kandi barrage and would construct own channel from Satwain side near Thein and prepare own Irrigation project by taking own water share from the dam. He said the RTIC engineers had taken up the issue at the top and even with the District administration, as Punjab Dam authorities did not stop construction. He said that now Chief Secretary level talks are being held between the two sides at Srinagar on September 4 or 5 on the issue.
A senior engineer from J&K Irrigation Department said that J&K State has suffered massive losses to the tune of over Rs 11,250 crore as the Punjab has denied State’s share of electricity and water from the Ranjit Sagar dam constructed on river Ravi at Thein in Basohli area of Kathua.
He disclosed that J&K State has been denied share by the Punjab Government despite the fact that a bilateral agreement was reached between the two Governments before taking up the work on the project in 1979. As per decision of the inter-state conference held at New Delhi on January 29, 1955, the J&K State had to get 0.69 MAF ( partition share) water from Ravi river. The agreement was also signed between Government of Punjab and J&K State on January 10,1979, wherein it was agreed that Shahpur Kandi barrage shall be constructed by the Punjab Government which was proposed about 12 kms of down stream of Ranjit Sagar Dam.
For the construction of Dam, J&K Government acquired 1,11,740 kanals of land of 22 villages of Basohli and Kathua. As per agreement, J&K was entitled to get 20 % of power share generated from this Dam. For this, J&K Government also laid double circuit 220 KVA transmission line. With the construction of Shahpur Kandi barrage, 1150 cusecs of water was to be released for J&K which has not been released till date due to non-construction of this barrage by Punjab Government. The agriculture losses for 1.05 lakh acres of land which has been deprived of irrigation facilities over the years resulted in losses of Rs 2.50 crore per annum and the total agriculture loss for the last 30 years has been put at Rs 7500 crore till date.
The power losses to the State in 15 years have been put at Rs 3660 crore whereas, the loss on account of non-payment of full land compensation has worked out around Rs 90 crore. Besides this, out of the 767 oustees, still 204 dam oustees are yet to be provided employment. He disclosed that the total loss caused to the State has been put at Rs 11, 250 crore till date.
The Punjab has now prepared Rs 2300 crore project for Shapur Kandi barrage and it has also allotted contract to some agencies. They are working on the project since January this year. But now they intruded into this side without seeking any consent from J&K. The J&K has already been working on Rs 275 crore Irrigation canal project from Satwain to Basantpur. The tender work has been started and 9 km canal is being constructed including 6 kms tunnel. The second phase of it would be power project and total project cost would Rs 410 crore. The State has kept 10 % of the funds out of Water Tax collected from Hydel Power projects for this purpose. This would be alternative to the Shahpur Kandi barrage, he maintained.
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