Srinagar, May 22 (KNS): Though the Government of India ruled out transfer of hydro-power projects operated by the National Hydro-power Corporation to Jammu and Kashmir, the civil society, Industrialists and Valley traders expressed resentment over the announcement.
The civil society, Industrialists and Valley traders while threatening to launch agitation against the decision said that they will knock the doors of International Court of Justice if the power project will not be returned.
Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) Chairperson, Prof. Hameeda Nayeem while the terming decision of GoI as shameful said that despite tall claims of GoI over progress in Jammu and Kashmir, they are grabbing the resources of state.
“NHPC has been illegally occupied by GoI. We asked them several times to present agreement but they always failed to present it,” she said.
She said that the people should also raise their voices against such kind of decisions like they raised their voices over Sainik colonies, NEET, separate colonies for KP’s and other issues.
Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) president, Muhammad Yousuf Chapri said that he hope that Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti will not compromise over this issue. “It is unfortunate that when tourist season approaches, such kinds of issue are being raised,” he said.
Chapri termed the not transferring the power project is human rights violation and said that despite using state’s property, the people of the state are not being given adequate electricity.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“It is not any political issue but an economical issue. We will consensus over it and will bring it back,” he said, adding that they will knock the doors of International Court of Justice if the project will not be returned.
Kashmir Traders Manufacturing Federation (KTMF) president, Muhammad Yasin Khan termed the statement as the betrayal with the people of Kashmir and said that it is the second time when Union minister for Power, Coal and Renewable energy, Piyush Goyal issued such kind of statement, which seems that it is an official policy of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He said that the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ is mere an eye-wash as all the issues are behind the curtains. “Power project issue is not an issue of Kashmiris only but it is an issue of people of Jammu as well. We will jointly discuss the issue with the people living in Jammu and will fight against it jointly,” he said.
Chamber of Commerce & Industries-Kashmir (CCIK) president, Zahoor Ahmad Tramboo told KNS the statement issued by GoI saddened them. “The Government of India wants to provide railway tracks to Kashmir instead of water, which only pollutes our environment. They should firstly provide equal shares to the state from the time NHPC was established and then should return our project,” he said. (KNS)