Srinagar, Oct 10: The J&K Government Wednesday said intelligence inputs have confirmed that militants had carried out an attack on the Wullar Barrage in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on August 29 this year.
 The issue was raised by legislator Chaman Lal Gupta in the Legislative Assembly during the Zero Hour. “It is unfortunate that on the directions of Pakistan, militants carried out the attack on the Wullar Barrage. The incident has led to stopping of work on the prestigious project. I want to know what the government has done to restart the work?” he asked.
 In reply, the Minister for PHE and Irrigation Taj Mohiudin said it is true that work on the ambitious project has suffered due to the attack. “The intelligence inputs have confirmed that the attack was carried out by militants,” the Minister said. He said the project was being constructed well within the limits set by the Indus Water Treaty.
 “Let me make it clear here that our nation is not so weak that it would compromise on security issues. It is not that we will stop the work for a reason that the project was attacked,” Taj said.
 He said the attack has certainly created a fear psychosis among the workers at the site. “But we are not under pressure. Work is on but not at the speed it was supposed to be. There is a need to instill confidence back in the workers,” the PHE Minister said.
 He said for the security of the project and to thwart further attacks, Army and CRPF has been deployed at the project site. “A CPRF company is manning the project,” he said.
 Taj said it will take time to get the morale of contractors and workers back so that the work starts in full swing.
 Ruling out that the project was being constructed in violation of the IWT, the Minister said according to the Treaty “India can construct any project on river Jehlum for flood protection.”
 It may be recalled that on August 29 this year, the Wullar Barrage was attacked in which a hut belonging to Irrigation and Flood Control Department was damaged. The suspected militants had threatened the engineers and workers there to stop work on the ongoing project.
 Earlier, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too had criticized the attack on the barrage stating that the project doesn’t benefit Pakistan but Jammu and Kashmir. “The project was attacked because it benefits J&K only,” Omar stated at a recent press conference.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 10 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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