Exercise initiated 4 yrs back yet to reach logical conclusion
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 18: Notwithstanding the fact that huge population across the State is getting affected due to several mega development works including hydro-electric projects, Jammu and Kashmir doesn’t have any comprehensive Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Policy despite framing of numerous committees for holding deliberations on this vital subject till date.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the necessity of having a comprehensive Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy for the people getting affected due to setting up of hydro electric projects and other mega developmental works was felt in the year 2013 and accordingly after hectic deliberations a draft of the policy was prepared through the Revenue Department.
The objective behind this step was to ensure that people to be affected due to execution of major projects particularly in power and roads & buildings sectors don’t remain deprived of their rightful claim of rehabilitation and resettlement and all the issues are taken care of well in time.
Actually, the Union Government had made suggestion to the State for preparing own R&R Policy in 2010-11 but the concerned authorities of J&K remained in oblivion till 2013 when after several rounds of deliberations draft R&R Policy was prepared. But the draft could not be finalized due to unknown reasons and practice of preparing project-specific R&R Plans that too through the executing agencies was allowed despite the fact that such a step was leading to inordinate delay in disbursing timely compensation and rehabilitation of affected population.
During the past four years no major exercise has been carried out for having inclusive R&R Policy although work on large number of mega projects in power as well as other vital sectors was started, sources said, adding “despite being aware of the necessity of framing comprehensive R&R policy the Government is still groping in dark as to how to proceed in this regard”.
This can be gauged from different orders issued by the General Administration Department on the instructions from the Government. Vide Order No.1088-GAD dated August 24, 2017 the Government constituted an Empowered Committee headed by Chief Secretary for implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Plan for the project affected families of Keeru Hydro Electric Project in Kishtwar district.
Again vide Order No.1281-GAD dated October 9, 2017, the Government clarified that the Empowered Committee constituted for the implementation of R&R Plan for the project affected families of Keeru Hydro Electric Project will also finalize and monitor the implementation of R&R Plan for the project affected families of Kwar Hydro Electric Project also in Kishtwar district.
Before this Empowered Committee could start holding deliberations, the Government vide Order No. 1387 dated October 26, 2017 constituted a High Level Committee headed by Financial Commissioner Revenue to examine and finalize the draft Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy for the people affected due to setting up of hydro electric power projects, development related projects and all such acquisition of land and structures involving displacement of the population.
The High Level Committee was directed to examine and finalize the R&R Policy in respect of whether all sections of the policy are in conformity with the provisions of law and the amount of compensation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Plan proposed in the policy is reasonable and acceptable.
“This clearly establishes that J&K doesn’t have comprehensive R&R Policy till date”, sources said and asked “if the Government had to finalize the draft R&R Policy for all sorts of hydro electric projects and development related projects through a High Level Committee what was the necessity of framing the Empowered Committee in respect of Keeru and Kwar HEPs”.
Stating that these orders are the testimonies of directionless approach of the Government towards the vital subject, sources said that in the absence of any comprehensive R&R Policy the people being affected due to mega infrastructure development projects have been finding it difficult to get timely compensation for the land acquired for the projects and rehabilitated in case of dislocation.
“There are numerous instances of work on mega development projects getting affected because of inordinate delay in disbursal of compensation or Rehabilitation/Resettlement of such people”, sources said, adding “it is only because of lack of comprehensive R&R Policy that Government is compelled to adopt R&R Plan of one project for the another project which often leads to litigations”.
It is pertinent to mention here that recently it came to the fore that Government will adopt R&R Plan of Kishenganga Project for the people to be affected due to Bursar Project. “Had there been comprehensive R&R Policy duly approved by the Cabinet the Government would not have been facing the difficulty of adopting R&R Plan of one project for another project”, sources remarked.
Follow our WhatsApp channel