Revised design to block 95 % water from flowing into Pak

For optimal utilization of water for irrigation and drinking purposes, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation, by altering the design of Ujh Multipurpose Project (UMP) will be blocking 95 percent of water from river Ravi from flowing across the border into Pakistan.

As per sources the executing agency has made major changes in the project design. Now 95 per cent of water from Ujh river will be prevented from flowing into Pakistan. However the change in the design has resulted in whooping price escalation by 2500 crores.

The Ujh project has three components – hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water. According to officials, the project will now generate 96 MWs hydropower, irrigate 31380 hectares of agricultural land and provide 20 cusecs drinking water for Kathua and Samba districts. A 116.00 metre high dam is proposed at the river with full reservoir level (FRL) at 608 metre. The proposed project is on the River Ujh, which is one of the main tributary of River Ravi.

Ujh multipurpose project has strategic importance which allows India to utilize the Ravi River’s water under the Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960. The treaty divides the waters from six frontier rivers between the two nuclear-armed arch-rivals, who have fought three full-scale wars since 1947 when the Indian subcontinent was partitioned to form the two nations.

In recent years, India began ambitious irrigation plans and the construction of many dams, saying its use of upstream water is strictly in line with the treaty. Ujh was declared a national project by the government in 2008.
The focus on the project with 90% funding from GoI and reaming 10% from J&K government has shifted from power generation to water conservation and it proper management. The technical committee in this regard has given its approval, while the new changes will lead to reduction in power generation.

As per officials of the project, going by the first detailed project report of the Ujh project, the total project would had cost 9167 Crores. As per rDPR the project would have generated 196 MW of power, now the focus has been shifted from power generation to effective water management.

As a result of these changes the total estimated cost of the project will 11908 crores, instead of 9167 crores, with escalation of 2740 crores. The estimate is based on 2019 project report, while the total project cost may rise further. Meetings at various levels are taking place for the implementation of the prestigious project, while the experts are sharing their inputs.

For safeguarding the environment, the power generation has been reduced from 196 MW to 90 MW. Union Jal Shakti Department has given its initial approval, now the project will sent to union finance ministry for allocation of funds.