PM orders early completion of inquiry report regarding Neelum-Jhelum project closure

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday instructed to take stern action against those responsible for defects arising in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project.

Chairing a meeting regarding the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Islamabad, he directed to immediately complete the investigation report regarding the recent closure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project.

The Prime Minister further said it is unfortunate that concrete lining was not done, despite defects in the design pointed out by experts. He said what an irony it is that criminal negligence was committed in such a big and important project.

He questioned as to why a detailed geological survey was not conducted regarding the project. He further said that criminal negligence was committed by not doing third-party validation of the project.

Shehbaz Sharif advised to immediately form a committee for the reactivation of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project.

Former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan and head of the investigation committee probing the recent malfunctions in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project presented the preliminary investigation report in the meeting.

The meeting was briefed that reduction in power generation occurred on 29th April this year due to pressure drop in the right and left headrace tunnels of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. Similarly, power generation was completely stopped on second May this year.

It was told that the closure of the project is causing a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. It was said the place where the current fault occurred is the rock burst zone.

The meeting was further apprised that a significant decrease in power generation was noticed during the PTI regime in 2021 due to abnormal drop in pressure in the headrace tunnel, but this matter was ignored and not reported and deliberately put under the carpet.

It was informed that during the PTI regime, no repair work was done regarding the fault in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in 2021, which continued to multiply the losses. It was a criminal negligence.

The meeting was told that the fault occurred in 2021 in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project is also being made part of the investigation report. It was further briefed that the power generation remained suspended in 2022 due to fault in tailrace tunnel of the project.

The meeting was apprised that geophysical and seismic factors were ignored in the construction of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and adequate concrete lining of headrace tunnel was not done. It was said that the third-party validation of project not done well in time.