Jammu, April 4 The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said a comprehensive rehabilitation and resettlement plan has been formulated for the Sawalkote hydroelectric project, taking into account the extent of impact on the local communities.
Responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Pawan Kumar Gupta in the legislative assembly on behalf of the chief minister, Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmed Rana said the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) plan included compensation measures for the landowners and resettlement entitlements in accordance with the standard practices for all affected districts.
The Sawalkote hydroelectric project is a major 1,856 MW run-of-the-river project planned on the Chenab River in the Ramban, Udhampur and Reasi districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Therefore, it would not be prudent to say that Udhampur district is out of commensurate development benefits," he said.
The minister said the project components fall across three districts of Jammu and Kashmir -- Ramban, Udhampur and Reasi, with Ramban district bearing the maximum submergence and emerging as the most affected district in the Union territory.
"Out of the total land requirement of 1,401.35 hectares for the project, Ramban accounts for the largest share at 1,097.55 hectares, followed by Udhampur with 197 hectares and Reasi with 106.8 hectares," he said.
With regard to submergence, Rana said out of 1,158.75 hectares of total land, Ramban accounts for 1,030.55 ha (88.94 per cent), Udhampur for 63 ha and Reasi for 65.2 ha, firmly establishing Ramban as the most affected district in the Union territory, he said.
The minister provided a detailed breakdown of project components across the three districts.
He said the diversion tunnel, right abutment of the dam and right bank tunnels fall under the Reasi district, the adit of right bank tunnels, most of the submergence area and other construction facilities fall under Ramban district, while the powerhouse, main tunnel and left abutment of the dam are located in Udhampur district.
The BJP legislator said he was not satisfied with the reply and threatened to resign if the response regarding the Udhampur section of the project proved correct.
However, the minister sought to pacify the agitating member, assuring that the government would not take any step that would compel him to resign.
On the question of road connectivity, the minister noted that the road connecting Jammu city to Ramban is an all-weather road being maintained by the National Highway Authority of India, while the road connecting Ramban to Zero Morh is constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation.
Regarding the shortest and most logical Pancheri-Lander-Galiote route, the minister said the detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared based on technically feasible and commercially viable site conditions and has been duly approved by the Central Electricity Authority, Union Ministry of Power. It outlines all project features, including access roads to various project components.
The minister said the proposed road from MH Morh to Chakka is a single-lane route with high maintenance costs and would not be suitable for the transportation of heavy machinery and equipment required for the construction of the project.
He said the selection of access roads depends on detailed engineering and economic considerations and any change at a later stage could result in construction delays and cost overruns.