Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken a firm stance against the glaring defects plaguing the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, demanding swift and decisive action against those responsible. This directive was issued during a meeting held in Islamabad to address the critical issues surrounding the project.
The Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the lack of concrete lining in the project, despite prior warnings from experts regarding design flaws. He lamented the criminal negligence that allowed such grave oversights to occur in a project of such magnitude and national importance, emphasizing the need for accountability and swift remedial measures.
Pointing to the absence of a comprehensive geological survey prior to the project’s implementation, Shehbaz Sharif highlighted another instance of negligence, emphasizing the importance of thorough assessments in major infrastructure ventures. Furthermore, he criticized the failure to conduct third-party validation, underscoring the need for stringent quality control measures in such endeavors.
In response to these critical findings, the Prime Minister called for the immediate formation of a committee tasked with reactivating the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, underlining the urgency of addressing the project’s operational shortcomings.
During the meeting, the preliminary investigation report, presented by former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan and the head of the investigation committee, shed light on the series of malfunctions that have plagued the project. These include a significant reduction in power generation on specific dates, leading to substantial financial losses for the national exchequer.
The meeting revealed that the recent closure of the project resulted from a pressure drop in the headrace tunnels, with the consequent halting of power generation further exacerbating the financial ramifications. The negligence and oversight during the previous regime, with repairs neglected and critical issues overlooked, were deemed to have perpetuated the project’s operational woes.
Additionally, the meeting highlighted the insufficient consideration of geophysical and seismic factors during the project’s construction, along with inadequate concrete lining in the headrace tunnel, further compounding the issues at hand.
The revelations from the meeting underscore the severity of the challenges faced by the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, signaling the pressing need for comprehensive reforms and oversight to address the systemic shortcomings that have hampered its functionality and financial viability. As the investigation progresses, the ramifications of these oversights will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for both the project and the stakeholders involved.
