SRINAGAR: Turbulence has returned to haunt Ratle Hydroelectric Power Project over alleged political interference and pressure to hire more local workers, with the management of the upcoming 850-MW unit in Jammu’s Kishtwar warning unions it would stop construction.Then PM Manmohan Singh laid the foundation of the project — billed as one of the largest in J&K — in 2013 but progress has been tardy amid recurrent labour logjams.The Rs 3,700-crore project on the Chenab river is a joint venture between the Centre-owned NHPC Ltd and J&K State Power Development Corporation Ltd. The two hold 51% and 49% equity, respectively. The unit includes a 133-meter dam and an underground powerhouse with five turbines.While work continues, Ravi Kumar Sharma, president of one of the two official unions at the project, said the fresh tensions began after two groups attempted to form two other unions despite not being employees. Several outsiders tried to mobilise workers two days ago and threatened the management.Sharma alleged that a senior official of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd, the current project developer, was assaulted five days ago and his vehicle stoned. “This prompted the company’s CEO to tell us that the project will be stopped,” Sharma said.Project CEO Harpal Singh said the main issue was political pressure to hire only from Kishtwar and specific areas. He alleged that since the project was awarded to Megha in April 2022, local politicians allegedly have interfered, forcing the company to take in inexperienced workers. “How long will this continue?” Singh asked.Since Megha bagged the contract, the project has been halted several times due to job protests and complaints about debris affecting nearby villages. Asked about the problems, Kishtwar BJP MLA Shagun Parihar declined comment, insisting the issue was between the company and locals.“We understand that similar disruptions in 2013 had stalled the project for eight years and caused losses to local workers, leaving them jobless. We resumed work later. This is a national project. We will not allow it to be shut down,” union chief Sharma said.After its foundation in 2013, the project’s contract was awarded to GVK Group on a 35-year build-own-operate-transfer basis. The company withdrew within two years without citing any reasons, but its exit was widely attributed to political interference and frequent protests.
