JAMMU: Members of the National Conference and Congress today staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over the issue of rehabilitation of people affected from the power projects in Kishtwar-Doda-Ramban belt.
The opposition members, led by NC member Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, raked up the issue of construction of power projects and failure of the government to rehabilitate the people affected by such projects.
Kitchloo and other members walked into the Well of the House, raising anti-government slogans as the chairman of Legislative Council Haji Anayat Ali rejected their demand for a reply from the government about the plight of people who have been affected by the construction of power projects on river Chenab and other tributaries.
Amid heavy slogannering, the Congress members, led by Ghulam Nabi Monga and Kitchloo, trooped into the Well of the House and sat on a dharna even as the proceedings of the question hour continued.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri asked them to raise the issue once the question hour is completed but they ignored his plea.
The chairman told the protesters that they couldn’t behave in such a manner as a half an hour discussion was held in the House on the issue yesterday and the deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, who is also the minister for power, had already replied.
Angry over the statement, the opposition members staged a walkout from the House.
Singh yesterday told the House that there are four power projects on river Chenab, while as many as seven more projects have been proposed to be constructed on the river flowing through Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts.
Replying to the discussion on power infrastructure yesterday, Singh said there are four power projects with 1680 MW cumulative capacity operational on River Chenab, while as seven more projects with total capacity of 5388 MW have been proposed to be constructed on the river flowing through Chenab Valley comprising Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts.
He said a comprehensive Relief and Rehabilitation (RR) policy has been formulated for the affected people of three Power projects of Pakal Dul, Kiru and Kawar in Kishtwar districts. (AGENCIES)
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