Drabshalla, May 12: - Congress Vice President J&K and MLA Inderwal, G. M. Saroori along with thousands of people from Tehsil Drabshalla, Bunjwah and Sub-Division Thathri at Drabshallah about 25 km from Kishtwar, today blocked the traffic on Batote-Kishtwar National Highway for about four hours to protest against the GVK Power Projects Pvt. Ltd. and LNT ECC Company who are constructing 850 MW Rattle Hydro Electric Power Project on river Chenab in Drabshalla.
Speaking on the occasion, Saroori said Rattle power project is the first mega hydropower project being constructed in the state on Built, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis but the companies failed to start the work on this prestigious project and also failed to give adequate land compensation to the inhabitants of the villages Drabshalla, Kandani, Seeghad in Drabshalla set to dislocated due to project.
He asked GVK Management to resume the work on the project within a month time or to leave the project and give other companies a chance that are financially good to construct this project as almost more than 5 thousands crores will be the expenditure to construct this project.
“There are thousands of unemployed youths in Drabshalla, Saroor, Bunjwah, Thathri, Kahara, Kishtwar and other adjoining areas who are having vast experience in handling various kinds of machineries being used in hydroelectric projects and also from projects like 390 Dool-Hasti Power Project and 450 MW Baghliar Power Project”, Saroori said and added that after resuming the work on the project unemployed youth could get the opportunity of employment in the said project.
Taking strong note over the mismanagement of GVK and L&T Companies, Saroori said that these two companies has made the Project in worst condition as presently the liability pending on account of various components including work done by Contractors, Labour wages, compensation on account of land and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Plan is still pending.
Saroori also assured the people of the area that as being the representative of the area he will never let outsiders to be part of this prestigious project and priority in jobs should be given to the local skilled, Semi-skilled and Unskilled workers and thereafter if management did not find trained youths from the District, only then the company should hire its manpower from outside District or State.
He said that due to non-resuming of the work on Rattle project, that state is losing nearly 1500 Cr annually as this project will help the state in reducing the power deficit crises, beside will also help the state in saving nearly 1500 Cr power tariff bills annually.
Other speakers including Chowdhary Salam Din, Suraj Prakash, Gulzar Ahmed Mattoo, Akhtar Khurwaey, Mohd Iqbal Keen, Santosh Kumar, Tanveer Ahmed Mattoo, Swami Raj Bhagat, Mohd Shafi, Mohd Sultan Malik, Tanveer Ahmed Lone, Asgar Hussain, Mohd Rafique, Mohd Yasin Mattoo, Hens Raj, Shahid Rashid Mattoo, Ram Nath, Masood Ahmed Mattoo, Baby Chand, Ghulam Haider Najar, Zubair Ahmed Najar and other office bearers of Mazdoor Union raised various issues during the protest, which included resuming the work on the project, re-assessment of the public property that will be affected by Rattle Power Project in Kandni, Drabshalla and other adjacent areas, Catchment area development, Resettlement and Rehabilitation of affected families on priority basis, employment to the local unemployed youth in the project on priority, plantation of trees to balance ecology as the tree density is not very high in the area, conservation of aquatic life in river Chenab, management of emissions from various activities and machines for controlling pollution in the region, assessment of impact on various natural resources besides various other issues were raised on the occasion.
Later Additional District Developmental Commissioner Kishtwar, Mr. Avtar Singh Chib reached the spot with Additional SP Kishtwar Mr. Abdul Qayoom and assured that district Administration will take up the matter with GVK Managements for resuming the work and clearing all the balance liabilities of Sub-Contractor, labour wages of the laborers and also assured that won’t let LNT Company to take machinery from Drabshalla area till the management will clear all the pending liabilities.
After getting assurance from the authorities, the angry protestors relented and ended the blockade but Mr. Saroori threatened to intensify after one month if liability will not be cleared and if management won’t resume the work.
Notable, as per the agreement, GVK will hand over the project to the state government after the period of 35 years from the date of commissioned settle for 2017.
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