Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed to immediately constitute a committee to reactivate the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project. He issued the directives while chairing a meeting held at PM House on Sunday to review the progress of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project. The prime minister was briefed in detail that on April 29, 2024, due to the pressure drop in the right and left head race tunnels of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project, there was a reduction in power generation and on May 2, 2024, power generation from the power plant was completely stopped. A preliminary investigation report was presented in the meeting by former Federal Interior Secretary Shahid Khan, the head of the investigation committee investigating the recent faults in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. He told the meeting that the closure of the project is causing a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. It was informed in the meeting that the place where the current fault occurred was the rock burst zone.

The meeting was further informed that during the PTI regime in the year 2021 also due to abnormal drop in pressure in the headrace tunnel, a significant decrease in power generation was seen from the project but this abnormal change in pressure was ignored and not reported. “The matter deliberately suppressed.” During the PTI regime, no repair work was done regarding the failure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in 2021, which continued to increase the losses, the meeting was informed. “It was a criminal negligence.” Defects in Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in 2021 are also being made part of investigation report, the meeting was informed adding that power generation suspended in 2022 due to fault in tailrace tunnel of project. Geophysical and seismic factors were also ignored in construction of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and adequate concrete lining of head race tunnel were also not done.

Premier Shehbaz Shairf issued the directives to immediately complete the investigation report regarding the recent closure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and identify those responsible for the defects in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and take strict action against them. Experts pointed out that there were defects in the design, concrete lining was not done, how unfortunate that such a big and important project was neglected, the prime minister added. Why had detailed geological survey not been conducted regarding the project, he questioned Criminal negligence was committed by not doing third party validation of the project, the prime minister added. The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Information Minister Ata Ullah Tararr, Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jehanzeb Khan, Coordinator to PM Rana Ehsaan Afzal, Chairman WAPDA Lt. Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan and other high officials.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan