Kishtwar, Aug 13: The first mega hydropower project being constructed in the state on Built, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis, has hit the road block as the inhabitants of the two villages set to be dislocated due to the project have threatened not to allow the construction work in case they were not given adequate land compensation.
 Jammu and Kashmir government has awarded the 690 MW Rattle Hydroelectric Power (HEP) Project to GVK Development Projects Limited at an estimated cost of Rs 3,805 crores. Though the project was allotted in mid 2010 the actual construction work is yet to be started on the ground.
 While the company announced that it would commence the works on the 690 MW hydro-electric power project by December, its officials with the help of the district administration are holding regular parleys with the villagers to ensure that the project takes off smoothly.
 "By December, this year, we will be able to start works on the Ratle Hydro project at Kishtwar district in J&K," Chief Finance Officer, Isaac George, said.
 The 690 MW power plant is likely to be commissioned in the year 2017. Situated on the river Chenab, it will provide 16 per cent of its output to the state of Jammu and Kashmir free of charge.
 Being constructed at Village Drabshalla, around 25 kilometers from here, the project will dislocate entire population of Kandani and Drabshalla villages. Official sources said that the dam of the project will be constructed near Kandni and it is expected to completely submerge the twin villages. “As the people have already been informed that the village will get submerged, the local administration has started the land acquisition process”, official sources informed. The locals of Drabshalla area, the site for the main project,   said that the area will not be safe for residential purposes.
 Villagers claimed that they were being offered pea nuts in lieu of their agriculture land, which is the only source of income for most of them.
 It is very surprising that the government has sanctioned Rs 56000 rater per kanal in the area, where the existing market value was Rs 6 lakh, Manzoor Ahmed Mattoo, a local resident of Drabshalla said.
 He said that the village falls in Revenue Village Lass, which is actually around 10 kilometers from the road and the site for construction of the project. “The revenue officials have fixed the rate presuming the area as in Lass, whereas being on the road side the rates are much higher in Drabshalla”, he added.
 Another local resident Abdul Salam Mattoo claimed that the district administration and representatives of the construction company have been informed that the rates offered by them was not acceptable to the local residents. “We must be given adequate compensation as the entire village will be dislocated due to the project”, he said.
 However Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Hussain Malik said that the villagers will be duly compensated. “The land collector is accessing the things and no rate has been fixed as of now”, he said adding, “We are also holding discussions with the land owners before the acquisition is started”.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST