The Bursar Hydroelectric Project in Kishtwar is one among the most unfortunate projects that has been hanging fire for last one decade or more. From the very beginning this project has landed into controversies and obstructions from the lowest to the highest level. Not to speak of other things, even the location where the power house would be set up became a contentious issue. The project was given to the National Hydroelectric Corporation in the hope that it would be technically a perfect project and would be completed within the specified time. However, the ground reality is quite different. Ten years have gone by and even after that the final blue print of the project is nowhere in sight.
Even the preliminary work that is also the pre-requisites of a project like this has not been started. A decade ago media hype was given that 800 MW power project for Kishtwar would be in the offing and the chicks began to be counted before the eggs were hatched. Nothing has been done to obtain clearance from numerous agencies which is the standard format of the pre-requisites of a power project. After allotting it to the NHPC, it was taken over as a Central Sector Projects by the Union Government. It had to obtain No Objection Certificate from National Board of Wildlife and Ministry of Environment and Forest, which it has not done so far. Even Environment Impact Assessment and Environment Management Plan studies are still under process and will take more time for completion. Keeping all these aspects in mind, the NHPC has sought three years extension for scoping clearance to complete the remaining activities which also include public hearing and appraisal before Union Ministry. Whether the Corporation will be able to complete the task in three more years or not is anybody’s guess.
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