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revival of the
Tulbul navigation lock will enhance the lean season generation of
lower Jhelum and Uri projects.Presently state government has to shell over
Rs two crores for the maintenance of idle Tulbul navigation lock that was
closed down in 1987 after Pakistan objected to its construction terming
the same as violation of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) signed between India
and Pakistan in 1960.
Sources said the stance Sayeed has taken for the first time is because of
the pressure from within the state. Last month the people of the state
had to suffer a lot as due to overdrawing of power from the Northern Grid
by J-K led the former to snap power connection thus plunging most of the parts of the state into darkness.
It was three days after the Northern Grid had restored the power supply.
But this could not prevent load shedding of more than 12 hours in most parts
of J-K. Not only this the state government has also started going fast on the
completion of the Baghlihar power project.
The day the Baghilihar talks failed, J-K government signed an agreement
with Power Finance Corporation of India, the managing partner of a consortium
of banks and financial institutions that is financing the project with Rs 1,770 crore.
State has invested Rs 2,500 crore in this 4,000 crore project. Soon after
signing consortium the state has lifted over Rs 420 crore from the loan
that the banking consortium has approved.
Sources said the state government rudimentary amendment in the stiff Transfer of
Property Act has led the Central banks and private sector units to sell the
mortgaged state land in case of default. This is said to have convinced
the consortium of banks and financial institutions (HUDCO, REC, PFC and other
banks) to approve Rs 1,770 crores required for the financial closure of its project.
Pakistan is insisting to remove gates as was done on case of the Salal
Hydel Project in Reasi earlier. However, the engineer here disapprove the
same saying that this will allow the silt to come in and destroy the project.
In absence of gates desilting will become impossible, says one of the senior engineers.
Even when the officials from Pakistan have been asked to visit Baghlihar
to inspect Baghlihar dam site, the state government has decided not to
slow down the pace of work, which they feel is life line to many in the
energy starved region.
From every platform Sayeed had been saying loud and clear that Pakistan
should not take measures that will stall work at Baghlihar. Sayeed who
so far remained cautious against saying anything directly against Pakistan,
has not been seen mincing words over water issue. He even went to the extent
of describing Pakistan of maintaining double standards when it comes to construction
of power projects in the state.
The pace with which the J-K government is moving the first phase of the
450 MW project is expected to be completed by March 2006 thus giving a
fillip to the economy of the state especially the Chenab River Valley.
Under Charkha-Sanjoy Ghose Fellowship for Peace & Development, 2004-05
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