JD(U) Party president G.M.Shaheen on Monday castigated government for selling electricity from Kashmir at exorbitant rates to outside states and exacting hefty bills from locals.
Shaheen said in a statement that 40% of the total power generated by the NHPC comes from Jammu and Kashmir. In return, J&K get only 12 percent of the royalty.
Shaheen said NHPC earned billions of rupees from the sale of electricity generated in the region. Ironically, the state government often has to plead before the corporation for continued power supply when it cannot pay its bills.
Shaheen accused the NHPC of exploiting J&K’s water resources. “Himachal Pradesh gets 50 percent royalty from the hydel power projects while Jammu and Kashmir only receive 12 percent. Although Jammu and Kashmir is a major contributor to NHPC’s power production,” he said.
Shaheen said in locals in Srinagar and various other parts of the UT suffer long hours of load shedding.
He said despite exploiting natural resources of Jammu and Kashmir NHPC has not bothered to employee a single local from Chenab Valley which speaks volumes. (KNT)