Srinagar Oct 14
Authorities on Thursday held a meeting with locals of Kishtwar who have raised grievances against the Ratle Hydroelectric Power (RHP) project, saying the executing agency will ensure minimum emanation of dust.
To ensure proper coordination of all stakeholders and the progress of different works on the RHP project, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Kishori Lal Sharma, who is the Collector and Nodal Officer for HEP Rattle, on Thursday chaired a coordination meeting of the stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by authorities of Rattle Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL), Mega Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MIEL) and representatives of the Labour Unions.
During the coordination meeting, the project authorities apprised the ADC about the salient features of the project, designing and layout plan, a timeline of different works, bottlenecks faced in the smooth execution of works and the progress of the R&R Plan.
The issues raised by the project authorities included Problems faced during the execution of work near the habitation area of the project, dumping of excavated material, Transportation facilities demanded by the employees, and Coordination between the labour unions and project authorities.
After a threadbare discussion, ADC Kishtwar assured the Project authorities of extending all possible cooperation from the Administration in the smooth execution of the Project. Directions were issued to project authorities to take all the precautionary measures, including minimum emission of dust during the execution work for the safety of the inhabitants of the area.
Regarding the dumping of muck and excavated material from the project, the executing agency was directed to ensure strict implementation of NGT guidelines and guidelines issued by the J&K Pollution Control Committee from time to time.
The directions were also given to project authorities to work out a proper plan for providing transportation facilities to the workers/employees and ensure the smooth flow of the workers. Besides, implementation and strict adherence to labour laws with special attention towards the working hours and working conditions of the workers/employees, basic facilities for workers/employees including health, drinking water, and accommodation were also stressed.
Several issues were raised by the labourer unions, which included recruitment of the locals in the project, transportation (Pick and drop) facilities for the workers/employees, adjustment of unadjusted Land losers in the project, and proper Implementation of Labour Laws.
After giving a patient hearing to the issues raised by the various labourer unions, the ADC assured full cooperation of the district administration to the workers and issued directions to the project authorities to adopt a fair and transparent mode of recruitment in the project and to give priority to locals and land losers and implement the employment ratio of 80:20 in the project during the employment process.
The project authorities apprised that 170 land losers have been provided employment in the project to date and the rest will be adjusted in a phased manner.
Besides, it was informed that a proper plan for providing transportation facilities to the workers is being worked out.
Further providing proper facilities to the workers and ensuring their safety is taken due care of by the project authorities.
During the inspection, the ADC visited the work site and took the appraisal of the progress of different Works under execution and directed the executing agencies to expedite the pace of works besides stressing to strictly adhere to the timeline of these projects taken.
The ADC directed Tehsildar Drabshalla to coordinate with the stakeholders to ensure the smooth execution of the project. The ADC also assured the Union leaders, PAFs and Land losers that such coordination meetings would be held from time to time in future with project authorities and other stakeholders for ensuring the project work is completed in a time-bound manner and sort out the pending issues of labours and other stakeholders.
