Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 17: Armed with Attorney General of India’s verdict in its favour and pressure being mounted by the Union Ministry of Water Resources on the Punjab Government, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has made up mind to seek monitoring and supervisory control over proposed Shahpur Kandi Project on river Ravi for being major stakeholder and settle terms and conditions with the neighbouring State before giving consent for the construction of the project.
In the meantime, the Department of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control has moved a memorandum to seek Cabinet’s nod for construction of canal from upstream of Ranjit Sagar Dam near Satwain to get its share of irrigation water.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that as decided in the meeting between Chief Secretaries of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab held at Union Capital few days back, a team of the officers of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department of J&K Government will shortly start technical evaluation of the design of the Shahpur Kandi project prepared by the Punjab Government to see whether interests of the Jammu and Kashmir have been taken care of.
“This exercise will be completed before June 10 and thereafter findings recorded during the technical evaluation of design and Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be placed before the Government for final decision”, sources said.
Disclosing that out of 37000 hectares of irrigation land to be benefited due to Shahpur Kandi project about 32000 hectares fall in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sources said, “J&K Government being major beneficiary will seek monitoring and supervisory control over the project and settle terms and conditions with the Punjab Government before giving consent for the project, whose fate has been kept in abeyance by the Union Ministry of Water Resources due to non-settlement of dispute by the Punjab Government with Jammu and Kashmir”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Union Ministry for Water Resources has agreed to fund Rs 2700 crore worth project under Augmented Irrigation Benefit Programme only after the dispute is settled between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
Stating that Jammu and Kashmir is legally empowered to seek monitoring and supervisory control over the Shahpur Kandi project, sources said, “Attorney General of India, Goolam E Vahanvati, while holding Jammu and Kashmir entitled to lift water from upstream of Ranjit Sagar Dam by constructing canal, has expressed serious concern over the denial of rightful share of Ravi water to the State for such a long period”, adding “even the Union Cabinet Secretary during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir had conveyed to the State Government that Shahpur Kandi project cannot take off unless Punjab settles dispute with J&K and provide it due share of Ravi water. Moreover, with the admission of Punjab Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh that J&K is entitled to agreed water share the J&K has received shot in the arm”.
When contacted, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma said, “we have made up mind to seek monitoring and supervisory control over Shahpur Kandi project for being major beneficiary. As 32000 hectares of land out of 37000 hectares to be provided irrigation facility with the construction of Shahpur Kandi project falls in J&K we have to be taken into confidence and our interests have to be taken care of”.
In response to a question, he said, “if nothing favourable emerges for us, we will press the Union Government to provide Rs 500 crore funding for the construction of canal from upstream of Ranjit Sagar Dam near Satwain instead of construction of Shahpur Kandi project so that we get our share of irrigation water”, adding “soon after the technical evaluation of the design and DPR of the Shahpur Kandi project the matter will be discussed with the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and then placed before the State Cabinet for collective decision”.
Responding to another question, Mr Sharma said, “my department has prepared memorandum to be placed before the State Cabinet for seeking approval for the construction of canal from upstream of Ranjit Sagar Dam to get our share of irrigation water, which we have been deprieved of till date”.
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