Congress Slams ‘Institutional Affront’ As Centre Blocks Clearance for J&K Power Project
Congress MLA alleges elected government was bypassed over environmental panel’s decision
Srinagar: The decision of a Central Panel on the Environment to deny an extension of environmental clearance for a new 93‑megawatt hydroelectric power project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district without consulting the elected government has triggered sharp political reactions with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Congress allies viewing it as an insult to the elected government and a glaring example of decisions being taken over its head, in disregard of the public mandate it enjoys.
Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat raised the issue in the J&K Assembly during Zero Hour on Thursday. What makes the matter controversial, he said, is that the entire process was visibly unilateral and excluded the elected government, a key stakeholder. “The decision was taken without consulting the Chief Minister and other concerned ministries,” Bhat said in an agitated tone, drawing the Speaker’s attention to what he described as an “upsetting” issue.
He also accused the J&K Lieutenant Governor’s office of holding up the file and disregarding the elected government and its legitimate rights as the sole owner of the river, its resources, and their use. “This is nothing short of an institutional affront—proof that crucial decisions are now being taken over the heads of the elected government, in complete disregard of the democratic mandate it carries,” Bhat later told this newspaper. He argued that the project falls squarely within the constitutional domain of the elected administration.
The controversy stems from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEFCC) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recently flagging significant delays in the New Ganderbal project, prompting it to withhold environmental clearance until a fresh proposal is submitted. At its 60th meeting in New Delhi last month, the panel asked J&K authorities to file updated documents, rejecting the J&K Power Development Corporation’s (JKSPDC) request for a two‑year extension.
The project—conceived in 1996 and granted environmental clearance in September 2013—was originally expected to be completed by 2026. Under existing rules, the clearance could be extended until 2028. However, the EAC concluded that even an extension would not suffice.
“Even if a further extension of two years up to 26.09.2028 is considered, the project construction works as well as implementation of the EMP would still not be completed within the extended validity period,” the panel noted. The Environmental Management Plan alone requires approximately four years once initiated, while the Detailed Project Report (DPR) estimates 48 months for the main construction works.
Crucially, the committee observed that no physical construction has begun on the ground, despite decades of planning and multiple rounds of tendering. It also highlighted steep financial escalations like the project cost rising from ₹965.87 crore in 2014 to ₹1610.55 crore in 2021.
The New Ganderbal project has faced repeated setbacks. In 2019, the then Governor Satya Pal Malik-led State Administrative Council cancelled the contract awarded to Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) after it failed to execute the work. A fresh tendering process culminated in 2022 with a joint venture between HCC and Choudhary Power Projects Private Limited (CPPPL), a private construction and infrastructure company, emerging as the lowest bidder, but the proposal still awaits government approval.
The project, located on Nallah Sindh—a tributary of the Jhelum was meant to replace the ageing 15‑MW Ganderbal hydropower station. Once completed, it is expected to generate 382.82 GWh of electricity annually, a significant boost for energy‑deficient Kashmir.
For the Congress, the environmental panel’s decision is not merely a procedural matter but a political affront. Bhat reiterated that the elected government should have been consulted before such a consequential decision was taken. “This is not just about a hydropower project—it is about respecting democratic institutions,” he said.
