Slated to be all completed by 2017 after the contract being awarded to a company in the year 2013 and later to be decided to be completed by 2022-23 to generate 48 MW power, Lower Kalnai Hydroelectric Power Project in Doda district continues to be in a state where it was left years ago due to certain problems faced by the executing construction company.
The then State Administrative Council nearly three years ago having accorded sanction for re-tendering keeping in view vital factors like the completed part of the work, the current prices of material and equipment and hence the revised DPR to go in for re-tendering , the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation has not completed the process. In fact, a tangible initiative having been taken by the Corporation is in no way evident.
How can in Jammu and Kashmir, every effort not be taken in respect of investing every opportunity in ensuring that the scenario of power generation and distribution kept on improving on a continuous basis. How can it be allowed that whatever has been expended on the promising project under reference should not be put to productive utility and works taken forward from the point of abandonment by re-tendering under the EPC mode for which the then SAC had given its approval?
Unless there were certain problems and issues coming in the way , such an approach of total recklessness is beyond one’s comprehension. The result of this delaying, deferring and prolonging approach has been more depressing in that nearly three years of inaction has not only topsy turvey all projections connected with the project but fears of more of comparative cost escalation was going to pose additional problems.
On the other hand, how it can be accounted for or justified to not make payments to several local contractors engaged by the previous executing construction company despite most of them having borrowed from Banks and spent out of their pockets. Any State / UT Government must invest its fair credit worthiness by making promptly all payments due to its creditors, that helps in a good response to tendering process. We hope for an early breakthrough in the stalled vital project.