Early Times Report
JAMMU, Apr 2: On Wednesday, the NC MLAs, including those from Jammu, raised a hue and cry in the assembly and accused the PDP-BJP coalition government of discriminating with the Kashmir Valley over the distribution of power sector funds. They disrupted the proceedings to the extent that the Speaker had to marshal them out and adjourn the House for ten minutes. The Planning Department had on Tuesday released an amount of Rs 3.5 crore for the repair of damaged power transformers in the state, out of which an amount of Rs 2.5 crore was released for Jammu and Rs 1 crore for Kashmir Valley.
"Why this discrimination with the people of Kashmir who have suffered more due to the incessant rains and floods. The power infrastructure in Kashmir valley has suffered more damage because of the floods," some of the NC MLAs said, adding that "we will not tolerate this discrimination with the people of Kashmir, we are not against Jammu but Kashmir must get a fair deal as well". One of the NC MLAS also said: "They have forgotten the promises made to the people of Kashmir. This is a clear sellout to the BJP by PDP they have sold the interests of the people of Kashmir for the sake of power".
The opposition of the NC to the release of Rs 2.5 crore for getting the damaged transformers repaired was as senseless as it was indicative of their biased attitude towards Jammu province, which during the summer months witness frequent power cuts. Even the winter capital of the state, Jammu, witnesses long and unscheduled cuts because Jammu province was never on the priority list of the successive Kashmiri-dominated and Valley-centric governments in the state in terms of power generation in this region. Leave aside the neglect of Jammu region in other sectors as well including road connectivity, employment, tourism development, industrial development and so on.
Jammu region has all along been treated shabbily by the state government irrespective of which party/parties led the state. It has been Kashmir that has always got a preferential treatment. For example, in 1947, the total installed capacity of power stations in Jammu division and in Kashmir was just 4 MW, which rose to 55.64 MW in 1967. Jammu produced over 26.39 MW and Kashmir 24 MW. In Ladakh, the installed capacity was just around 4 MW. From 1967 to 1996, the installed capacity in Kashmir stepped up very sharply from 24 MW to 335.36 MW. Compared to this, the installed capacity in Jammu during the same period rose only marginally from 26.39 MW to 48.54 MW. In Ladakh, the installed capacity rose to 16.48 MW. In other words, the installed capacity in Jammu and Ladakh increased by 83 per cent and 213 per cent respectively, as against 1,297.33 per cent in the Valley.
The data on installed power capacity in terms of percentage share of different regions between 1967 and 1996 further reveals fast growing inter-regional disparities. In 1967, for example, out of the total installed capacity of 55.64 MW in the state, the share of Kashmir was 43.13 per cent, Jammu's 47.43 per cent and that of Ladakh 9.44 per cent. But by 1996, the scenario underwent a total change and to the advantage of Kashmir. This can be seen from the fact that while the share of Kashmir in 1996 was 84 per cent, that of Jammu and Ladakh was a paltry 12 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively. Chenani in Jammu Province is, it needs to be noted, the only State Power Plant with an installed capacity of 25 MW. The remaining State Power Plants with an installed capacity of 335.36 MW are in the Valley. These include Upper Jhelum, Lower Jhelum, Mohra, Ganderbal, Upper Sindh. Besides, there are a number of gas turbines in Kashmir, which also cater to the needs of its people. On the other hand, the Kalakot Thermal Plant in Jammu has been virtually closed down.
But the anti-Jammu forces in the Valley and their agents in Jammu will not look all these facts in the face. It is for the present government to present a true picture of facts before the House so that the people of Jammu region come to know the kind of treatment they have been meted out of the Valley-centric rulers. The Power Development Minister in the government is none other than Nirmal Singh, who is also Deputy Chief Minister. He should ensure that a white paper on power generation and the amount spent in Jammu region and Kashmir on it is prepared and circulated for public scrutiny. |
