Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 30: Even as the PDP has included return of power projects from NHPC to the J&K State in its poll agenda and also in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) with the BJP, its members today voted against this resolution along with its coalition partners (BJP) in the Upper House of the State Legislature.
It was embarrassment for the Coalition Government as a resolution moved by private member, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone from National Conference was passed in the Legislative Council. Interestingly, the PDP members, whose party’s stand has always remained to get back the Hydel Power Projects were seen voting against this resolution.
NC member Qaiser Jamsheed Lone moved: “This House resolves that all the power projects be returned by NHPC to the J&K State.” The members while speaking on the issue said that people of this State have suffered badly due to water treaty and State is not being provided adequate share of power. Huge returns have already been received by the NHPC from the power revenue from Dul Hasti, Salal, Uri and some other hydel power projects and they should now be handed over to the State.
While replying to the resolution, Minister in-charge Abdul Haq Khan on behalf of Dy Chief Minister (Incharge Power) said that Finance Minister during his speech has mentioned that State Govt will actively pursue transfer of hydel projects from NHPC and the budget provides funds for meeting the operation and maintenance cost of such power projects to be transferred from NHPC. He said on March 16 this month DyCM and Finance Minister met the Union Power Minister formally and have impressed upon the Central Government the need for transfer of power projects of Dul Hasti and Uri from NHPC to the State.
The PDP Minister said that issue of return of power projects was taken up by State Govt with the Govt of India earlier. In September 2009 the then Union Power Secretary wrote a DO letter to the then Chief Secretary of J&K saying that the issue of return of Salal and Dulhasti projects should be considered as `settled and closed’. In 2011, a Cabinet Sub- Committee was constituted to look into various issues arising from terms and conditions of entrustment of hydroelectric projects to NHPC. The Committee submitted its recommendation which were accepted by the Cabinet in February 2012. Subsequently, JKSPDC was authorised to work out the present cost of 10 hydel power projects on the basis of internationally accepted norms to form basis for the further negotiations with NHPC/ Government of India.
They included 690 MW Salal HEP, 480 MW Uri-I HEP, 390 MW Dulhasti HEP and seven projects transferred to NHPC vide MOU of July 2000– 240 MW Uri-II, 330 MW Kishanganga, 120 MW Sewa-II, 1020 MW Burser, 45 MW Nimmo Bazgo, 44 MW Chutak and 1000 MW Pakaldul.
Out of these projects entrusted to NHPC, Salal, Uri-I, Dulhasti, Sewa -II, Nimmo Bazgo and Chutak have been commissioned, Kishanganga is in advanced stage of completion, Pakaldul has been transferred to Joint Venture of JKSPDC, NHPC and PTC. PDC took up the matter with the NHPC for furnishing of details for the purpose and despite repeated requests the NHPC did not respond. Now PDC worked out the cost on its own without formal involvement of NHPC and an independent consultant was hired for the purpose and based on these documents gathered from various agencies the consultant has calculated the present cost of Salal, Uri-I, Uri -II Dulhasti, Sewa-II, Nimmo Bazgo and Chutal HEPs and the report is under examination in the J&K Power Development Corporation.
The Minister then asked member to withdraw the resolution claiming that Government was already working seriously on the issue. As the member pressed for the passage of resolution, the acting Chairman Jehangir Hussain Mir put the resolution for voting in the House. While NC and Congress supported the resolution, the PDP and BJP voted against it. The resolution however, was passed with the majority vote of the opposition, putting Government to the embarrassing position. The PDP members Yash Pal Sharma, Firdous Tak, Surinder Choudhary, Inayat Ali and Javed Ahmed voted against the resolution while another PDP member Yasir Reshi was not present.
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