Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
India

Shahpurkandi Dam Project Will Cut Water Flow To Pakistan: Amarinder Singh

Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 Mar, 2019 12:18 AM

    The Shahpurkandi dam project will reduce the outflow of the Ravi river water to Pakistan once it is completed, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday said.

     

    The Rs. 2,700 crore Shahpurkandi dam project, being set up on the Ravi river, will generate 206 MW of power, besides having the potential to irrigate 5,000 hectares of land in Punjab and 31,000 hectares of land in Jammu and Kashmir's Sambha and Kathua districts.

     

    "This water, which was supposed to irrigate fields in Punjab and J-K, was going towards Pakistan. This project will reduce the water flowing into Pakistan drastically and will help save the critical water resources of the state," Mr Singh said while addressing the gathering in Pathankot.

     

    The chief minister, who was here for rededicating the project to people of Punjab, said it will be completed in three years.

     
     
     
     

    Of the estimated cost, which is in addition to Rs. 640 crore already spent till 2014, Rs. 1,408 crore would be spent on the power component, with 100 per cent share of the Punjab government, and Rs. 685 crore on the irrigation component, with a share of Rs. 485 crore to be contributed by the central government and Rs. 179.28 crore by the state government.

     

    The Shahpurkandi dam project is being constructed on the Ravi river, 11 km downstream of the Ranjit Sagar Dam project and 7 km up stream of Madhopur Head works.

     

    The Shahpurkandi dam project was described as a "national project" by the Centre in 2008.

     

    However, this project, which was initially a Punjab and J-K joint venture, was held up in year 2014.

     

    The work was stopped by J-K authority on August 30, 2014 on its side "under the guise" of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004, as per an official release.

     

    However, after the intervention of the Centre, both Punjab and the J-K governments signed an agreement in September last year to restart the work on the project.

     

    The project will be monitored by a team comprising a Central Water Commission member and chief engineers from the two states.

     

    Mr Singh said as many as 230 families ousted as a result of the project were offered jobs and another 34 would be given jobs shortly.

     

    The chief minister, who was accompanied by MP Sunil Jakhar and MLA Bhoa Joginder Pal, personally handed over appointment letters to five employees recruited for the Shahpurkandi dam construction.

     

    Asserting that the border belt up to Shahpurkandi would be one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the world, Mr Singh said the project would also give impetus to tourism, besides supplementing the income of residents in the region. With the construction of the Shahpurkandi dam, the historic Mukteshwar Temple would also be saved from submergence by creating a retaining wall, he added.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Pulwama Attack: Import Duty On Pakistani Goods To 200%

    Pulwama Attack: Import Duty On Pakistani Goods To 200%
    A day after withdrawing the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan, India on Saturday slapped a 200 per cent import duty on all goods originating or exported from Pakistan.

    Pulwama Attack: Import Duty On Pakistani Goods To 200%

    Gloom, Anger Across India As Last Rites Of CRPF Martyrs Held

    A pall of gloom combined with anger and patriotic fervour was witnessed across the country on Saturday as the tricolour-bedecked mortal remains of the CRPF troopers

    Gloom, Anger Across India As Last Rites Of CRPF Martyrs Held

    Terrorists Will Be Emboldened If Kartarpur Corridor Scuttled: Navjot Singh Sidhu

    Terrorists Will Be Emboldened If Kartarpur Corridor Scuttled: Navjot Singh Sidhu
    Questioning why proper security arrangements "were not" made for movement of CRPF personnel in Pulwama, he said a permanent solution was needed to end the repeated killings of jawans.    

    Terrorists Will Be Emboldened If Kartarpur Corridor Scuttled: Navjot Singh Sidhu

    Last Rites Of 4 CRPF Troopers From Punjab Done With State Honours

    The last rites of four CRPF troopers from Punjab, who were killed in Thursday's terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, were performed on Saturday as their remains were consigned to flames in their villages.

    Last Rites Of 4 CRPF Troopers From Punjab Done With State Honours

    Plastic pollution in A & N Islands a growing concern

    Ten suggestions to the public and the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to avoid plastic pollution

    Plastic pollution in A & N Islands a growing concern

    Norway To Reconsider Regulations For Passport Photos Of Sikhs: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

    Norway To Reconsider Regulations For Passport Photos Of Sikhs: Harsimrat Kaur Badal
    The Sikh religion prohibits devout Sikhs to remove the turban from their heads in any circumstances and forcing them to do it completely or partly under any legal obligation would result in hurting their religious sentiments

    Norway To Reconsider Regulations For Passport Photos Of Sikhs: Harsimrat Kaur Badal