Kathua residents suffer due to non-availability of rehabilitation package

KATHUA - Residents of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district are suffering as they have not been provided with the rehabilitation packages announced by the Punjab Government during the construction of the Ranjit Sagar Dam.

Lying across the Ravi River, the Ranjit Sagar Dam is located in Kathua District and was constructed as a hydroelectric power project with a capacity of 600 MW.

Of late, residents are protesting against the state government for failing to provide employment opportunity to the people of the region.

They accused that the government has not done anything to sustain their claims of providing employment and electricity.

“The scheme that was announced by the government that the local people would be given compensation and employment has not been fulfilled.. The government has not done anything. They have not given any compensation,” said Ghansham Kumar Dogra.

Saurabh Bhagat, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the Basohli town in Kathua district, agreed to the fact that payments with respect to compensations are still pending.

“The payments are either of land compensations or of court cases are still pending,” he added.

He further said that 583 families out of 767 displaced during the construction of the dam have been compensated.

The Ranjit Sagar Dam project is expected to provide around 1150 cusecs water to the state and help generating in around 25 MW of power and create employment opportunity for the youth of the state. (ANI)