Srinagar, Sep 1: Rejecting recommendations of interlocutors on power sector, the Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) has reiterated its demand for immediate return of NHPC-run power projects to Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre also demanded compensation for the state for “perpetual loss it incurs due to the Indus Water Treaty.”
 At a meeting held under the chairmanship of Prof. Hameedah Nayeem, the KCSDS members urged the state government, members of both houses of parliament from J&K and state legislative assembly to exhibit “moral courage” and lead a joint delegation to Prime Minister and others to stress for immediate restoration of the power projects from “illegal occupation” of NHPC to the state.  “The MPs are also required to take up the issue in the current session of the Parliament besides organizing sit-in and raising their voice vociferously in the interest of providing this basic amenity to citizens of the state,” the centre in a statement said.
 Meanwhile, the KCSDS has cautioned the state government against ignoring the “potential of public uproar on this sensitive issue as it would be unacceptable to the people of J&K to allow export of power generated from its waters by NHPC before fulfilling their own needs.” The meeting observed that the recommendations made by the interlocutors for improving power situation in the state “are as casual and shallow as any other recommendation in their report.”
 “The interlocutors, on one hand, have failed to fix responsibility for under-exploration of enormous hydro potential of the state over past 65 years and, on the other hand, they have also failed in quantifying the losses incurred by the state due to IWT in their report”, the members observed.
  “Whereas, every state in India has witnessed enormous growth and development over past 65 years, J&K state was deliberately left out for reasons best known to government of India”, Prof. Hameedah said.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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