Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 23: In what could be termed as grave injustice with the people residing in areas surrounding the power projects, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited, a Government of India Enterprise, is flouting the guidelines laid down for the local area development with impunity thereby depriving huge population of their right for development.
As per the guidelines, a percentage of Profit After Tax (PAT) from the power projects is fixed every year for the local area development under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme in order to overcome the socio-economic impacts of the power projects on the people residing within 10 kilometer radius of the projects.
However, these guidelines are being flouted with impunity by the NHPC in respect of all its projects in Jammu and Kashmir in general and Salal and Dul Hasti in particular, which has also come to the notice of Committee on Public Undertakings of the State Legislature.
“It has come to fore that NHPC is restricting activities under Corporate Social Responsibility to only organizing awareness programmes and holding medical and veterinary camps, which is evident from the developmental scenario within the 10 kilometer radius of the power projects”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“The adherence to the local area development guidelines can be gauged from the fact that several hamlets within 10 kilometer radius of the power projects are still crying for the regular and uninterrupted power supply. Moreover, there are several areas which are yet to be electrified”, sources said.
Had the NHPC taken the developmental requirements of the areas within 10 kilometer radius seriously, the situation in several areas surrounding the power projects could have been better than urban areas, they said. The areas like education, health, skill development and employment, which were required to be given much focus, have completely been ignored by the NHPC, sources added.
The Sarpanchs and local MLAs, who were supposed to be approached by the NHPC for identification of pressing developmental needs to be taken care of under the local area development activities, were never consulted by the Corporation thereby indicating its half-hearted approach towards coughing up fixed percentage of Profit After Tax for the developmental activities.
“The Committee of Public Undertakings, which during the past some days paid visit to Salal, Baglihar and Dul Hasti Projects, was apprised by the MLAs and other representatives of the people that they were never consulted in identification of pressing developmental needs”, sources said. “Even the Deputy Commissioners, who were supposed to be involved in the expenditure for the development of local areas, are not being consulted”, they added.
According to the sources, the Committee on Public Undertakings, while taking serious note of non-adherence or little adherence to the guidelines, has categorically made it clear to the NHPC that it will have to involve MLAs, District Administration and Sarpanchs while initiating steps for local area development.
The Committee has also asked the NHPC to lay more stress on education, health, skill development and employment, sources said, adding “State Legislature is also going to take serious note of this as Committee after concluding visit to various other projects in near future will submit a detailed report to the House”.
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