State completes all formalities, work likely to begin within few months
R&R Plan to be on pattern of Kishenganga HEP
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 3: Governor’s Administration has written to the Union Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) for early accord of Techno-Economic Clearance to the Ujh Multipurpose Project in Kathua district, which has the potential to give big boost to the socio-economic development of this region of the State.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that following State Administrative Council’s approval to the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Ujh Multipurpose Project on July 17, 2018, the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control, on the directions of the Chief Secretary, took up the matter for incorporating the provisions of Relief and Rehabilitation Plan for the project affected families on the pattern of one implemented in respect of Kishenganga Hydroelectric Project in the revised DPR with the Central Water Commission vide communication No. PW/Hyd/P&S/45/2017-18 dated September 12, 2018.
Accordingly, revised DPR was submitted to the Central Water Commission for Techno-Economic Appraisal and acceptance by the Advisory Committee of the Union Ministry of Water Resources and River Development.
Now, the Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam has written a letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources and River Development with the request to accord Techno-Economic Clearance as early as possible after incorporating the Relief and Rehabilitation Plan provisions in the Detailed Project Report, sources said.
“The Union Ministry is going to convene meeting of its officers within next few days to accord Techno Economic Clearance following which foundation stone of the project will be laid”, sources said while disclosing that Government of India has already agreed to implement the Relief and Rehabilitation Plan for project affected families on the pattern of one implemented in respect of Kishenganga Hydroelectric Project.
It is pertinent to mention here that Ujh Multipurpose Project has been a long pending demand of the people and the completion of this project will ensure assured irrigation to a vast area of 31,380 hectares and generate 186 Mega Watts of electricity thus will change the agricultural as also the power scenario in the region.
“In the revised DPR, the dam height has been kept same—116 meter but maximum water level and full reservoir level have been reduced to 609.50 meter and 608 meter respectively thus resulting in reduction in corresponding submergence areas from 41 square kilometres to 34.50 square kilometres”, sources informed.
Due to this, only 1698 families comprising of 8684 souls would get affected. As per the earlier DPR 2235 families comprising of 11498 souls were to be affected. “Now, only 2 revenue villages fully and 10 partially would be affected due to the project and their inhabitants would be provided sufficient compensation”, sources said while disclosing that due to reduction in maximum and full reservoir water level there will be reduction in generation of electricity by only 10 Mega Watts.
“It is due to keen interest taken by the Governor’s Administration that work on the project of immense importance will begin within next few months”, they further said, adding “as the Government of India will be funding the project in the ratio of 90:10 the State will have to provide only Rs 475 crore as its share that too in a period of three years”.
They disclosed that Governor’s Administration has completed all the formalities, which fall in the domain of State Government, and following Techno-Economic Clearance of the Water Resources Ministry, which is likely shortly, there will be no hurdle in the execution of the project.
As already approved by the State Administrative Council, the ownership rights over the project will vest with the State Government and the Union Government will suggest a Public Sector Undertaking for the implementation of the project. The Relief and Rehabilitation Plan will be implemented under the aegis of the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department of the State Government.
It was due to lack of will on the part of political dispensations in the State that fate of the project was hanging in balance since 2001 when it was mooted. The project was declared as National Water Resources Project by the Union Cabinet in the year 2006 but despite this the successive Governments in the State paid no serious attention towards the project.
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