Shahpur Kandi Project
No merit in Rajasthan, Haryana’s claim: Centre
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 5
The Union Power Ministry and the Union Ministry for Water Resources, agreeing to Punjab’s claim, have said Haryana and Rajasthan’s demand for a share in power from the Shahpur Kandi hydro-electric project has no legal merit. There is a move to build 168 MW hydel project there.

A meeting of officials of Punjab, Haryana and Union ministries concerned was held in Delhi. Punjab made it clear to Haryana, Rajasthan and Union government officials that it had not signed any agreement to share power with the two states from the Shahpur Kandi project. Hence, Haryana and Rajasthan were not entitled to a share from the power project.

Haryana and Rajasthan have been getting share from river waters, but there is no question of giving them share in power projects, which belonged to Punjab.

Union Power Ministry and Water Resources Ministry officials agreed to Punjab’s view and told Haryana officials that their demand for share from the power had no basis, it is learnt.

The Union government feels a share in power from the project is being sought to delay it. With the completion of this project, a canal will be built to carry Jammu and Kashmir’s share of water from this project. At present Jammu and Kashmir’s share of water is being used by some other partner states in river waters. Once the water starts going to Jammu and Kashmir, it will be deducted from the share of other partner states using it now.

“As the Union government has given a clearance to the project, we are going ahead to start construction work of this project,” said a senior Punjab government official.