Labour pangs back to haunt key J&K hydel project

SRINAGAR: Turbulence has returned to haunt Ratle Hydroelectric Power Project implicit alleged governmental interference and unit to prosecute much section workers, with the absorption of the upcoming 850-MW portion successful Jammu’s Kishtwar informing unions it would halt construction.Then PM Manmohan Singh laid the instauration of the task -- billed arsenic 1 of the largest successful J&K -- successful 2013 but advancement has been tardy amid recurrent labour logjams.The Rs 3,700-crore task connected the Chenab stream is simply a associated task betwixt the Centre-owned NHPC Ltd and J&K State Power Development Corporation Ltd. The 2 clasp 51% and 49% equity, respectively. The portion includes a 133-meter dam and an underground powerhouse with 5 turbines.While enactment continues, Ravi Kumar Sharma, president of 1 of the 2 authoritative unions astatine the project, said the caller tensions began aft 2 groups attempted to signifier 2 different unions contempt not being employees. Several outsiders tried to mobilise workers 2 days agone and threatened the management.Sharma alleged that a elder authoritative of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd, the existent task developer, was assaulted 5 days agone and his conveyance stoned.

“This prompted the company’s CEO to archer america that the task volition beryllium stopped,” Sharma said.Project CEO Harpal Singh said the main contented was governmental unit to prosecute lone from Kishtwar and circumstantial areas. He alleged that since the task was awarded to Megha successful April 2022, section politicians allegedly person interfered, forcing the institution to instrumentality successful inexperienced workers. “How agelong volition this continue?” Singh asked.Since Megha bagged the contract, the task has been halted respective times owed to occupation protests and complaints astir debris affecting adjacent villages. Asked astir the problems, Kishtwar BJP MLA Shagun Parihar declined comment, insisting the contented was betwixt the institution and locals.“We recognize that akin disruptions successful 2013 had stalled the task for 8 years and caused losses to section workers, leaving them jobless.

We resumed enactment later. This is simply a nationalist project. We volition not let it to beryllium unopen down,” national main Sharma said.After its instauration successful 2013, the project’s declaration was awarded to GVK Group connected a 35-year build-own-operate-transfer basis. The institution withdrew wrong 2 years without citing immoderate reasons, but its exit was wide attributed to governmental interference and predominant protests.