The Hindu : Mufti hopeful on Baglihar project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2003

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Mufti hopeful on Baglihar project

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI Dec. 22. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, today said he did not see any problem in the coming up of the Baglihar Power Project across the Chenab and said the objections raised by Pakistan were not justified.

Talking to reporters after releasing the State Development Report here today, Mr. Sayeed said there was no proposal for storage of river water and the project would be commissioned on run-off water. If it was constructed, the project would help the State overcome its power shortage. Pakistan has raised objection to the project by saying India could not build a dam across the Chenab under the Indus Waters Treaty. A high level technical team from Pakistan had visited the site last month.

Mr. Sayeed said the project was economically viable and the State would be able to raise Rs. 1,000 crores from some national banks. He said the Finance Ministry had also offered help.

The Chief Minister said he had also asked the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to raise the Tulbul project issue with the Pakistani authorities. Work on the project had to be stopped due to objections by Pakistan. "The project will also help Pakistan in the lean season,'' he said. Regarding the situation in Jammu aand Kashmir, Mr. Sayeed said there had been a perceptible change on the ground after the ceasefire on the India-Pakistan border and hoped the initiative would lead to more positive developments between the two countries. "There has been a discernible change and the atmosphere is more relaxed after shelling has stopped,'' he said.

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