As J&K shivers without power, a new deal with Rajasthan adds to the heat over outages

AMID ONE of Jammu and Kashmir’s worst electricity crises, power politics was back in the spotlight last week after Ratle Hydro Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL) signed a power purchase agreement for its 850 MW project with Rajasthan Urja Vikas and IT Services Limited.

As a part of the agreement, off-take of power will begin from the project, whose construction is underway on the Chenab river in the Kishtwar region, for a period of 40 years from the day it begins commercial operations. RHPCL is a joint venture of the NHPC and J-K State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC).

The agreement comes at a time when the Union Territory is going through a severe electricity shortage. While outages are not uncommon in the Valley’s harsh winters, when demand shoots up, for the first time in decades, there were long power cuts in summers too.

The new deal has invited fresh criticism from mainstream political parties, which have accused the Centre of robbing J&K of its resources, at a time when it is directly running the Union Territory under President’s Rule.

“We are facing a never-witnessed power crisis, and our hydroelectric resources are still being outsourced to other states. Yet another decision that will rob the people of basic amenities has been taken with an intention to collectively punish the inhabitants of Jammu and Kashmir,” former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said.

The National Conference (NC) said the Centre should come clean on the agreement, as it has added to the “feeling of betrayal” among the people. “The agreement has stirred a hornet’s nest as the terms and conditions, on the face of it, seem to be disadvantageous for Jammu and Kashmir. Also, power purchase agreements are