12MW Power Project Cheyari Karnah In Limbo, Residents Aghast Over Delay

A strong resentment and anger is brewing among the people in Karnah of frontier district Kupwara as the state government has failed to initiate the work on the much-awaited 12MW Hydro-Power Project at Cheyari sanctioned way back in 2012.
According to reports, the Hydro Power Project coming up on the river Qazi Naag at a cost of over 96.967 crores sanctioned in 2012 was to be completed within the shortest possible time to reduce the power crisis.
As per official sources, the detailed Pre-Feasibility Reports (DPRs) for the project were prepared in 2015 after the government had sanctioned funds for the purpose under the Prime Minister Development Fund followed by tendering process which got completed two years back and a company ANGELIQUE – SAPU won the bid for construction of the project but unfortunately the work on the said project could not be started due to certain tangible reasons including Indo-Pak border incursions developed in the recent times.
The government’s failure to start the construction on 12 Megawatt Power Project in Karnah has drawn flak from various quarters. People alleged that the 12 MW Power Project is being kept under the carpet for last more than nine years. The locals said that the successive governments have miserably failed to initiate the work on the much-awaited 12MW Power Project in Tehsil Karnah thus marring the purpose of this vital project.
They said that over 70 kanals of land against negotiable compensation have already been acquired for the project and all other formalities have been finalized but still, the work on much-awaited 12 MW Power Project is yet to kick-off despite the repeated assurances from the higher rank officials.
“With the construction of this project, the power supply will increase for local consumption and will give out export potentials to the valley and also will help in the tiding over the power crisis to some extent also”, official sources said.