'Decision to reduce dam height will not impact generation of power’

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir government has allayed fears that the reduction of the dam’s height will have any drastic impact on the 450 megawatt (MW) Baglihar project on the Chenab river in Ramban.

Welcoming the recommendations of World Bank arbitrator R Lafatte, J&K power minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said they are in the process of  implementing the suggestions, which include reducing the height of the dam by 1.5 meters and creating a 1.2 meter parapet near the tunnel.

“Our generation capacity will not be hampered. Plus, we are already in the process of reducing the tunnel and creating a parapet,” he said.

Jora noted that the project commissioning will not be delayed. “This minor adjustment will not have much of an impact as such. We will commission the project on schedule in December 2007,” he said.

J&K power development commissioner Madhav Lal said the government will go whole hog in completing the project because all bottlenecks now stand removed. “We can now proceed to complete the project in the stipulated time,” he said.

The report, however, has raised hackles with main opposition party National Conference (NC) terming it as “another injustice heaped on the people of J&K”. “It is an injustice heaped on the people of the state. Indus Water Treaty has cost the state dearly. Be it Baglihar or Tulbul navigation lock, we are at the receiving end. Now the time has come that both India and Pakistan pay compensation to the state,” said Omar Abdullah, president of NC and former minister of state for external affairs.

Under the Indus Water Treaty, New Delhi has given up its claim about water usage of three eastern rivers — Jhelum, Chenab and Indus (all flowing from J&K) to Pakistan in lieu of three Western rivers — Satluj, Beas and Ravi, it retains.