The ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir Saturday called the inauguration of a hydro power project in Uri by Indian Prime Minister ‘without permission’ of the state authorities a ‘trivial issue’. A minister in Jammu and Kashmirs Omar Abdullah government had said the hydropower project inaugurated by Narendra Modi in the states Varmul district Friday was illegal. Health and Medical Education Minister Taj Mohiuddin had said: The hydropower project inaugurated by Modi has no licence to operate and is, therefore, illegal. The sitting Congress legislator from the Uri constituency where the hydropower project is situated, Mohiuddin had said he is sure that Modi did not know that the project he was going to inaugurate did not have a licence to operate. Mustafa Kamal, the National Conference additional general secretary, said that by issuing such a statement the minister has undermined himself. “Taj says that Uri power project which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister has no license to operate is correct. But it was a trivial issue and there was no need to issue such a statement. I think when the state government at its highest level (Chief Minister) was present on the occasion of inauguration of that project, Taj should have reserved such comments,” he said. Kamal, who is an uncle of Omar, added: “It was a technical issue and technical issues and there was no need to rake up such a controversy. May be the government will use license part as a bargaining chip in getting 30 per cent royalty from this Uri power project implemented.” The additional general secretary National Conference blamed state Congress leadership for playing a ‘double role’ as far as the supporting its coalition partner was concerned. He said that there was a clandestine understanding between some local Congress leaders with its arch rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and both had tried to dislodge Omar Abdullah government a few before after Modi won the elections. Kamal said that state Congress wanted to topple the government through proxies so that it does not take any blame for it. “I hope and expect that Congress high command is now cautious and conscious as well and it will never rely much on its local leadership in terms of giving a heed to its word,” he said. Mohiuddin had said when he was the minister for public health engineering and irrigation before his portfolio was changed to health and medical education, he had written to the prime ministers office that the NHPC had not completed the formalities for issuance of an operating licence to them and the then prime minister Manmohan Singh should not accept the NHPC request to inaugurate the project. Asked whether he was sure that the NPHC had not completed the formalities and obtained an operating licence from the state government after his portfolio was changed, he had said: I am sure the NHPC has not obtained the licence because the same would have to be cleared by the state cabinet and I would have known it as a member of the council of ministers. Mohiuddin had said he was not present at the inaugural function and had he been there, he would have informed the prime minister.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 14:29:08 +0000
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