4 months ago
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Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal connected Sunday (January 4, 2026) directed sediment removal astatine the Salal Power Project successful Jammu and Kashmir to guarantee maximum utilisation of h2o resources, successful the aftermath of the Indus Waters Treaty being kept successful abeyance betwixt India and Pakistan. He besides toured powerfulness projects successful Kishtwar amid an ongoing controversy.
While visiting the Salal Power Project, operated by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, Mr. Lal called for “expediting the sediment removal operations of the Salal reservoir”.
Located connected the Chenab stream successful Reasi district, the absorption follows the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty past year. Officials said the removal of accumulated silt was aimed astatine “maximising optimal utilisation of h2o resources”.
Mr. Lal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had delivered a wide connection to Pakistan by keeping the Indus Waters Treaty successful abeyance past year. “Water of Chenab and Indus volition beryllium utilized for payment of our ain people,” helium said.
He besides said nary idiosyncratic with an unlawful inheritance would beryllium engaged successful the ongoing hydel powerfulness projects successful Kishtwar. “Employment volition beryllium provided lone to verified and law-abiding workers. Good radical should get work. Those with unlawful backgrounds volition not beryllium engaged. Any accusation regarding workers volition beryllium verified done institutions. No adverse inputs person been received truthful far,” helium added.
Amid the controversy, Mr. Lal besides visited the Ratle Hydroelectric Project, wherever helium was briefed connected the presumption of assorted works. The project, approved successful 2021 astatine a full outgo of ₹5,281.94 crore, is scheduled to beryllium commissioned successful May this year.
An authoritative spokesperson said the Union Minister laid the instauration chromatic for dam concreting works and encouraged “the task squad to implicit the works successful an effectual and time-bound manner”.
In December, Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd, which is constructing the project, had threatened to propulsion out, citing “threats and interference” from locals and politicians, with an denotation towards Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. “There is simply a batch of unit connected our workers. The mode locals and politicians enactment is undemocratic and should not happen,” Harpal Singh, main operating serviceman of the dam from the Hyderabad-based company, had said.
Mr. Singh besides briefed the Union Minister. Bhupendra Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of NHPC, apprised Mr. Lal, who is connected a two-day sojourn to Jammu and Kashmir, astir “the advancement of assorted NHPC hydroelectric projects” successful the Union Territory. Mr. Lal is scheduled to inspect projects successful Reasi, Ramban, and Kishtwar districts.
