Water Scarcity
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) has once again addressed the water shortage issue in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) capital, stemming from the completion of the 969 MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHPP).
In a recent meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy, the ministry highlighted a technical fault in the project’s design, leading to a severe water shortage in Muzaffarabad city and environmental concerns. The NJHPP, a run-of-the-river hydropower project that commenced electricity generation in April 2018, diverts the River Neelum through tunnels, releasing into the River Jhelum.
Previous attempts to resolve the issue included a letter from the AJK prime minister to the Pakistani prime minister in September 2018, leading to discussions and directives to the MoWR to conduct a comprehensive environmental study. The Cabinet Committee on Energy approved the recommendations in August 2019, emphasizing the need for an international consultant-conducted study to determine environmental flow.
In a recent meeting, the MoWR updated the committee on the adverse environmental impacts and reduced water supply to Muzaffarabad city due to the diversion of the River Neelum. The committee directed the ministry to conduct the recommended study.
The NJHPP had experienced a fault in 2022, leading to a year-long shutdown. In August 2023, electricity generation resumed after completing restoration work on its tail race tunnel. A fault in July 2022 had left the powerhouse dysfunctional, impacting power generation of 18.28 billion units since its commissioning in 2018.
The ongoing water scarcity issue and environmental concerns underscore the challenges associated with hydropower projects, emphasizing the importance of addressing technical faults and conducting thorough environmental assessments to ensure sustainable and effective project implementation.
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