*Draft pact sent to Law Deptt for vetting
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 20: Jammu and Kashmir Government has made up its mind to go in for execution of fresh agreement with the Punjab Government on Shahpur Kandi Project and the draft of the pact sent by the neighboring State has been given to the Law Department for examination and vetting.
Majority of the issues about this project, which led to estranged relations between two States of Northern India, have been thrashed out by a panel of officers constituted on the directions of the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed following receipt of official communication from his Punjab counterpart, Parkash Singh Badal and major headway is likely in near future.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that on the receipt of letter from Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, expressing willingness to resolve the long pending issue, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed asked the Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey to have detailed discussion on various aspects of the project in the light of soft stand taken by the neighboring State.
“Though initially there was reservation at certain level about responding to the latest stand of the Punjab, the Chief Minister made it clear to the Chief Secretary that J&K should not waste the latest opportunity for resolving the issue as ultimately Shahpur Kandi Dam Project would be of immense benefit not only for the people of Kathua and Samba districts but also for the entire State”, sources said.
In the meeting convened by Chief Secretary two days back, which was also attended by Principal Secretary Planning, B R Sharma, Law Secretary, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Revenue Secretary, Mohammad Afzal Bhat, Secretary of Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Parvez Malik and a representative of the Power Development Department, the communication of Punjab Chief Minister and appended documents were examined in detail.
According to the sources, draft of fresh agreement sent by the Punjab Government was thoroughly debated upon and finally the same was referred to the Law Department for vetting so that interests of Jammu and Kashmir are taken care of. “Unlike earlier agreement, the J&K Government wants specifically elaborated arbitration clause to be incorporated in the agreement so as to explain the methodology to be adopted in case of any dispute relating to the project in future”, they added.
They informed that technical details of the barrage, which were also sent by the Punjab Government, have been examined through Design, Inspection and Quality Control Directorate and the same have been approved by the Directorate.
As far as issues relating to compensation for the land and jobs are concerned, it was decided in the meeting that figures provided by the neighboring State would be reconciled with the figures to be worked out by the Kathua District Administration so as to arrive at any decision. “The Commissioner/ Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department has been asked by the Government to come with details in this regard as well as with Law Department vetted draft of the agreement within a period of 15 days so that Chief Secretary headed committee holds further deliberations and makes recommendations to the Chief Minister”, sources said.
Stating that Government has made up its mind to go in for execution of fresh agreement with Punjab on Shahpur Kandi Dam Project, sources said, “this is the best way to resolve the issue once for all as even Punjab Chief Minister has offered to execute fresh pact on the lines of the 1979 agreement”, adding “J&K would formally communicate decision to Punjab only after Chief Secretary-headed committee comes up with recommendations”.
According to the rough estimates, J&K would save Rs 9 crore per year, which is presently being expended on power bill in respect of Basantpur and Lakhanpur Lift Stations. Moreover, an amount of Rs 275 crore, which is proposed to be spent on construction of balance portion of canal, would get saved as Punjab would provide free power and there would not be any requirement for construction of canal in case fresh agreement is executed.
It is pertinent to mention here that Government of J&K signed an agreement in the year 1979 for setting up of the Thien Dam Project on River Ravi and Shahpur Kandi Dam, a balancing reservoir. The Thien Dam was completed and commissioned in 2000. However, Shahpur Kandi Dam Project could not be started for various cogent reasons for sometime.
The construction work on Shahpur Kandi Dam Project came to a halt after Punjab Government ‘terminated’ the agreement of 1979 by way of Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004. However, Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has conveyed to the J&K Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that 1979 agreement has not been affected by the Act of 2004. He, at the same time, has even offered to execute fresh agreement.
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