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Strongly recommending buyback of NHPC-run hydroelectric power projects in Jammu and Kashmir, the State government today questioned the legality of operation of hydel projects by NHPC.
“A Cabinet sub-committee, set up by the J&K government to review agreements with NHPC with regards to hydro power projects, has recommended taking back two projects of Salal and Uri,” the Minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE), Irrigation and Flood Control, Mr Taj Mohi-ud-Din, said here today.
Mr Taj, a senior Congress leader in J&K, also questioned NHPC's right over these projects and said Salal and Uri projects would be bought back.
The projects, operated by NHPC in the State, were based on the policy of execute, operate and maintain, he said.
“They (Centre) requested the State government to allow them to transfer projects for execute, operate and maintenance to NHPC in J&K. They never said ownership of the projects,” the Minister said, adding, “The Centre transferred these projects to NHPC as agents of the central government as per the agreement of Transfer of Property Act.”
“This agreement has also expired in 1987. Now what is the legal standing of NHPC? Land is ours, ownership is ours. It is the property of the State now and will remain the property of the State,” he added.
The Minister was delivering the keynote address at a seminar on water resources in J&K organised at University of Jammu in the backdrop of State government's demand for handing over the Salal and Dulhasti power projects to J&K government.
Chamber plea to PM
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday appealed to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to return all National Hydro Power Corporation-run power projects to the State.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, KCCI urged him to initiate the process of returning all the projects set up by NHPC, which is wholly-owned by the Government of India, to the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
The apex trade body of Kashmir argued that these projects have already paid back their capital to the NHPC.
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