SRINAGAR: The Sawalkote Joint Action Committee (SJAC) has renewed its demand for safeguards for project-affected families, claiming that Ramban will bear 88 per cent of the submergence burden of the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project, even as technical bids for the Rs 5,129-crore Lot-I of the project have been opened.
The committee held a high-level meeting at the Dak Bungalow in Ramban on Sunday to review developments following the opening of technical bids on September 9.
Five infrastructure companies, Adani Infra India Ltd, Hindustan Construction Company Ltd, Larsen & Toubro Ltd, Patel Engineering Ltd and Rithwik Projects Pvt. Ltd., have been shortlisted in the technical-bid process.
The meeting was chaired by SJAC president Advocate Fairoz Khan and attended by committee members, legal experts, civil society representatives and residents from affected areas.
The committee described the shortlisting of the five firms as an important milestone achieved through what it termed the sustained unity and struggle of the local population. It, however, said the development should not come at the cost of the rights and future of people affected by the project.
“I congratulate every young man and woman of Ramban, every member of the SJAC, and every resident who has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us in this long struggle. Your patience, courage, and unity have brought us this far. But make no mistake — this is not the end; it is only the beginning of our fight for legitimate rights,” Khan said.
“Our fight is not against development, but for justice. While we have always supported nation-building, we will not allow Ramban to bear 88 per cent of the submergence burden while our people are left in the dark about their future,” he said.
The SJAC said the project’s execution on the ground could not proceed smoothly without addressing the concerns of project-affected families. Legal Advisor Advocate Muzaffar Lone and senior committee members Mudasir Azmat, Iftraz Shoil, Dharam Singh, Sanjay Singh, Jhanghir Ahmed, Yassir Sheikh, Manzoor, Irshad Ahmed Pedhar, Ali Shan and Zakir participated in the deliberations.
The committee reiterated its seven-point charter of demands, including transparent and time-bound execution of the project, compensation to affected landowners under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, and priority for local youth in employment and project-related opportunities.
It also demanded a comprehensive rehabilitation and resettlement package for displaced families, including modern civic amenities, livelihood protection and wage security.
The committee sought immediate clarity on road connectivity, tunnel alignments and diversion plans, saying the project authorities and administration should issue an official blueprint to address uncertainty among affected communities.
It further demanded a review of land acquired decades ago but allegedly left unused, seeking either restoration of such land to original owners or reassessment of compensation at prevailing market rates.
Environmental safeguards formed the seventh component of the charter, with the SJAC calling for measures to protect the fragile Chenab Valley terrain, water sources and human habitations from unscientific dumping and blasting.
The committee said it would closely monitor the next stages of the tendering process, particularly the opening of financial bids and subsequent award of the contract.
It warned that any attempt to bypass local interests would be met with peaceful and democratic resistance across the district.
