Construction of Uri II: NHPC, HCC destroy agriculture land

The residents of Kalgia Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla region are up in arms against Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) and National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) for destroying their agricultural land. The people alleged that both the companies are responsible for generating poisonous and polluted water that is damaging the agriculture land and environment in the district.

HCC and NHPC had acquired 580 kanals of land on lease during the construction of Uri (II) power project for three years on the condition that the company will be allowed to store and dump materials in it.

“HCC violated the agreement and instead installed crusher and batching plants on our land. Not only this, the construction company constructed heavy workshops, officers and labourers colony on the land and even started disposing tunnel muck on it,” the villagers told CNS.

The villagers said that their fertile paddy land turned into waste land. “The company cheated us and we are ruined. After continuous protest, MLA Uri Taj Mohiuddin and other government officials had several meetings with HCC and NHPC officials and finally HCC agreed to compensate us till the land becomes fit for cultivation,” they said.

The villagers accused HCC of not paying them the compensation money as a result they have been suffering immensely. “From past two years the company has not compensated us,” they said.

They demanded immediate intervention of the state government into the matter and threatened to launch the agitation in case HCC fails to compensate them.

HCC General Manager S.K.Singh passed the buck and hold NHPC responsible for the destruction of agriculture land. He told CNS that they have taken up the issue with NHPC and every effort is on to sort out the issue. (CNS)

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