SRINAGAR: The Sawalkakote Joint Action Committee (SJAC) on Friday raised serious concerns over continued uncertainty surrounding the Sawalkakote Hydroelectric Project, citing a lack of clarity on road diversion, project alignment, and compensation for affected families.
Addressing a press conference in Ramban, SJAC President Advocate Fairoz Khan, along with committee members, said ambiguity over the proposed road connectivity has created anxiety among local residents. The Committee referred to a communication dated April 13, 2026, in which Member of Parliament Dr. Jitendra Singh forwarded a proposal by MLA Udhampur (West), Er. Pawan Kumar Gupta to Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The proposal reportedly suggests routing access to the project via Udhampur instead of Ramban.
The SJAC said such developments have raised concerns about Ramban’s stake in the project. It also expressed apprehension over reports indicating a possible shift of the project site by 2–3 kilometres away from Ramban, warning that this could leave the district bearing environmental and social costs while limiting its developmental benefits.
The Committee stated that Ramban could face a disproportionate burden of submergence, estimating that nearly 88 per cent of the affected land falls within the district.
Raising further issues, the SJAC pointed to delays in tendering and the absence of a defined execution timeline, stating that prolonged uncertainty is impacting local development planning and livelihoods.
On land acquisition, the Committee alleged that several affected families have received inadequate compensation or have had land acquired but left unused for years. It demanded that compensation be ensured in accordance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, and called for the return of unused land or reassessment of compensation as per law.
The SJAC reiterated its demands, including immediate clarification on road diversion, announcement of tender schedules, a fixed project timeline, fair compensation, rehabilitation measures, wage security, and priority employment for local residents, along with protection of environmental and social interests.
Marking Labour Day, the Committee stressed that the rights and economic security of workers and affected communities must remain central to development initiatives.
