Allowing resumption of work on power projects
No action on CVPPPL, JKPDC’s formal requests
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 23: Even after clear instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Power, the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has yet not taken any decision on allowing construction activities on the power projects during the current lockdown.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs vide Order No.40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated April 15, 2020 allowed several additional activities to be operationalized by the States/Union Territories and District Administrations based on the strict compliance to the guidelines on lockdown measures.
The Para 16 of the revised guidelines read: “Construction of roads, irrigation projects, buildings and all kinds of industrial projects including MSMEs in the rural areas—outside the limits of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities; construction of renewable energy projects and continuation of works in construction projects shall be allowed during the current lockdown with effect from April 20, 2020”.
Keeping in view these revised guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Union Ministry of Power vide letter dated April 20, 2020 asked all the States and Union Territories of the country to allow the construction activities in thermal/hydro power generation projects outside the limits of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities.
“It is also requested to allow the intra-state and inter-state movement of construction material, equipment, spares and consumables etc for the under construction power projects. The resumption of project works at sites may be carried out while taking all mandatory precautions and norms of social distancing as well as the advisories issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from time to time with regard to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)”, read the communication dated April 20, 2020 issued by S Majumdar, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Power.
However, the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has yet not taken any decision on allowing resumption of construction activities on the power projects during the current lockdown, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“This is notwithstanding the fact that the Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Limited (CVPPPL) and Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation have formally approached the concerned District Magistrates for allowing construction activities on the power projects in the light of the Ministry of Power’s communication”, they informed.
It is pertinent to mention here that CVPPPL is a Joint Venture Company among NHPC (49%), JKPDC (49%) and PTC India Ltd. (2%) formed at the initiative of Government of J&K and Government of India to harness the vast hydro potential of river Chenab. Similarly, Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited is harnessing huge hydro power potential in different parts of the Union Territory.
While CVPPPL is presently constructing 1000 Mega Watts capacity Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project in Kishtwar district, the foundation stone of which was laid by the Prime Minister on May 19, 2018, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation is engaged in construction of numerous projects in Jammu province as well as in Kashmir valley.
“In the light of the communication of Ministry of Power, we had approached the District Magistrate Kishtwar for allowing resumption of work on Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project but he has not conveyed his decision so far”, said M S Babu, Managing Director of Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited when contacted.
“Mobilization of men and machinery was going on when the lockdown was announced by the Government of India and unless adequate manpower is allowed to the project site the work cannot be resumed”, he said in response to a question, adding “resumption of work on the project depends upon the permission to be granted by the District Magistrate”.
In response to another question, the Managing Director said, “we are ready to ensure strict compliance to the mandatory precautions and norms of social distancing as well as the advisories issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare while re-starting work on the project”.
Similarly, Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation M Raju, when contacted, said, “we are executing only small works on some under-construction projects by utilizing the services of workforce, which is available at the sites of the projects”.
He, however, admitted that full swing work on all the under-construction projects would become possible only when mobilization of requirement workforce is allowed by the concerned District Magistrates in the light of the communication issued by the Union Ministry of Power.
In response to a question, the Managing Director of Power Development Corporation said, “hopefully by middle of next month we will be able to restart work on full scale”.
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