Four years on, Sewa-III power project in Kathua hangs fire
Sanjay Pathak
Kathua, August 29
The J&K Government, which has been demanding return of projects from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), has failed to restore the operations of the Sewa-III power project in Basohli tehsil in the past four years.
The Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) had constructed the 9-MW Sewa power project on the Ravi in Mashka village of Basohli tehsil of Kathua district. However, it became non-operational after a 300-m portion of the canal was damaged in August 2013 due to heavy rains.
Sources in the JKSPDC said crores of rupees spent on the construction had virtually gone waste due to it.
“Had the project been functional, it could have supplied electricity to the surrounding areas of Basohli,” said the sources.
According to reports, the JKSPDC had earmarked Rs 351 lakh for the working plan of the project. Last year, a team of the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, visited the site and made a detailed project report (DPR). According to the DPR, the JKSPDC had started repairs in February this year but the slow pace of work, coupled with delay in starting repairs on the damaged portion of the canal, was a pointer that it would take years to make it functional.
Saroop Chander Sharma, a resident of Mashka village, said, “It seems odd that while the state government has been unable to run the power project, it wants to own the NHPC-run projects having capacity of more than 400 MWs.”
Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who holds the power portfolio, said the government was keen to restore the project. He said the repair work would be soon expedited and the project would start functioning in near future.
Hit by rains
- The Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation had constructed the 9-MW Sewa power project on the Ravi in Mashka village of Basohli tehsil of Kathua district
- It became non-operational after a 300-m portion of the canal was damaged in August 2013 due to heavy rains
- Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said the government was keen to restore the project at the earliest
