20 years on, fate of Purnai power project still in the balance

Legislative Council
20 years on, fate of Purnai power project
still in the balance
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 28
Almost 20 years on, the 37.5 MW Purnai Hydroelectric Project in Poonch district is yet to be completed and the Power Department is still making a fresh detailed project report (DPR).

Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmad Khan admitted in the Legislative Council here today that though the first DPR of the Purnai power project was cleared by the CEA in 1992, it was yet to be completed.

Replying to the clubbed questions of Murtaza Ahmad Khan of the PDP, and Javaid Ahmad Rana and Mohammad Rashid Qureshi of the NC, the minister said, “The total land required for the project is 1,278 kanals and 14 marlas, but so far the department has acquired only 454 kanals and 19 marlas.” However, he assured the Upper House that the project was on the priority list of the coalition government and Rs 37 crore had been spent on it. “The work of the review of DPR has been awarded to a consultant and is expected to be completed by April 15, 2011,” he said.

On supplementary questions by other legislators about the time-to-time estimated cost of the project, the minister said, “In 1992, the project was to cost Rs 177.93 crore, which increased to Rs 198 crore in year 2001 and to Rs 398.20 crore in 2009”.

Terming militancy as the major reason behind the delay in the completion of the project, the minister said, “The situation in the state was not good in those days, which further delayed the construction of the project”.

Dissatisfied by the minister’s reply, Javaid Ahmad Rana said, “I have the list of projects, which were started later than this project but were completed on the scheduled time. So, militancy could not be the reason for such a long delay”.

Meanwhile, Jehangir Mir of the Congress and Sheikh Ghulam Rasool of the NC also asked supplementary questions on the issue. Later, the minister assured the House that the Purnai power project would be completed this year.

Fact sheet n The first detailed project report of the Purnai power project was cleared by the CEA in 1992 n Of the 1,278 kanals and 14 marlas required for the project, the department has acquired 454 kanals and 19 marlas only n The project cost has increased from Rs 177.93 crore in 1992 to Rs 398.20 crore in 2009