Ranjit Sagar Dam Project commissioned in 2000 is reported to be causing grievous damage to the interests of the J&K State. As both J&K and Punjab have stakes in the dam, the visiting Committee on Environment of the Legislative Council was shocked to see environmental degradation caused by the dam. How cruel that 12 lakh trees including 3 lakh forest trees have been felled in the area but no afforestation has been done after the destruction of standing trees. If 85 per cent resources belonging to the State have been utilized by the Punjab but the commensurate share has not been given to the State, it makes a case for consideration and dispensation by the court of law. Also if it is true that 8579 persons of 1802 families in 22 villages of Kathua district have been affected by the project, it makes a serious case of human rights violation. We have every reason to believe what the Chairman of the Environment Committee of Legislative Council, who was leading the inspection team, has reported. He said only 700 persons have been absorbed in the project against 1100 agreed by Punjab Government.
The losses suffered by the State due to breach of agreement by Punjab Government, has been tentatively calculated to the tune of over Rs. 17000 crore since the commissioning of the project. Regarding power share due for the State, not even a single unit of electricity, out of 600 MW, has been made available to the State despite 20 per cent of generation capacity of the project.
The State Government should taken up the matter with Punjab Government for proper implementation of agreements reached between two Governments in 1973 and 1979, compensation for damage and the losses suffered by State Government besides water and electricity share due for the State as per the agreement.
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