PDP demands a white paper on water resource sell out

Srinagar November 28: Reacting sharply to the National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah’s observations on the status of hydro projects in the state the Peoples Democratic Party today demanded a white paper on the sell out of water resources by the National Conference from time to time. In a statement the PDP president

Mehbooba Mufti said the NC had not just compromised the dignity and honour of

the people of the state through repeated betrayals but had even sold out the

only major natural resource, water, for its own interest. She said the

government must come out with a white paper on water resources and their

exploitation to make people aware of the energy crisis and its reasons.

Mehbooba said the water resources of the state have been bartered away for a pittance and instead of showing any remorse Dr Abdullah was now shifting blame to others in trademark NC style to sound sympathetic to the state. “How would it have helped the J&K state in any way if the hydro projects handed over to NHPC were completed faster” Mehbooba wondered and said we are left with no stakes in these projects as a result of Dr Abdullah’s reckless generosity towards the NHPC which has become a symbol of state’s economic deprivation. She said while paying

lip service to the unemployment problem, the NC did not secure even a share in recruitment for state youth in these projects. Even the non skilled labour from the state does not get engaged there not to speak of skilled, semi skilled and engineering staff, Mehbooba said.

Referring to Dr Abdullah’s claim of having ignored advice from his bureaucracy against handing over the most valuable assets to NHPC Mehbooba said the former chief minister was still trying to please galleries rather than repent on having facilitated the outright sell out to serve his personal friendship and interests. He said by its actions the National conference has been guilty of reducing the state to a begging bowl that is dependant on centre even for salaries whereas it could have been a potentially surplus state that could provide power to entire energy starved region around it. All the regions of the state, especially in extreme conditions of summer in Jammu and winter in Kashmir

face acute shortage of power for even lighting not to speak of other modern

amenities dependant on electricity, she regretted and said it needed highly

insensitive dispensations to compromise on the comfort and interests of their

own people. Unfortunately NC has been performing that role without any trouble to its conscience, Mehbooba added.

The PDP chief said like other aspects, NC had always treated J&K as a personal estate in taking decisions without caring for the interests of people. Even the present government was trying to hoodwink the people through so called joint ventures with NHPC. The Chenab Valley Hydro project joint venture was highly biased in favour of NHPC and against the interests of the state as the state share was restricted by a minority upper ceiling, she pointed out. Mehbooba said in a world where every drop of water is guarded and fought for, it was unfortunate that all arrangements to utilize our huge potential had ended up in one sided arrangements in which the state would never get electricity enough even for its bare minimum requirement.

Mehbooba said the PDP had been able to a good extent in projecting state’s case for a review of the arrangements with NHPC and renegotiating the present humiliating terms under which a paltry 12% ‘khairaat’ was provided to the state.

As a result of this campaign various groups constituted by the prime minister

had recommended return of some projects like Dulhasti and Uri to the state as a compensation for the loss that we suffer. She said it was necessary that the people understand as to how the water resources of the state were signed away by NC leaders in most callous and whimsical manner and raise their voice for renegotiating the terms of agreement in a civilized but forceful way. The central government she said must also move promptly on the recommendation to transfer those NC projects back to state that have earned many times more than their investment.