Touching
the past……
Yesterday
I went through an amazing journey of past when I saw Prime Minister Shri. Modi
Inaugurating a Hydroelectric project in Uri a border town of Kashmir….
I
was a young Captain of India Army posted in Uri sector in the year 1974, we had
hosted a party in our officers mess to celebrate the Army day and we had
invited some senior officer’s of a Hydel power project which was under construction
near Gantamulla Bala about fifteen km away from our location …While chatting
with officers of the power plant, I suggested them to have a look at the Mahura
power house which was built during the British period in that area. The
uniqueness of this power plant is that the water is carried through a canal
made of wood alongside the contours of mountain for couple of miles before the
water is dropped through the turbines from adequate height to generate
electricity..I also suggested them that now when we have more modern equipments
available then why we cannot tap the water of river Jhelum from an area that
about ten kilometer away, the landscape
of which provides a perfect scenario for
a Hydel power project…
My
colleges in army felt that I was talking nonsense … but the officers of the power project
felt that I was making some sense…They requested me to show that area and
explain my point of view on ground.. The party was over everything was
forgotten till early morning I received a call from one the power project officers,
requesting me to show them the area that I had suggested them during the party.
I
took permission from my commander and asked them to come over in the afternoon.
They
arrived on the dot with their technical officer. We all drove towards Uri where
enroot I showed them the area... I also showed them on map as to how water of
river Jhelum can be perfectly harnessed for the power generation. All of them
felt that this was a perfect setting for a big power generation plant. Since
the area was very close to the borders they felt apprehensions about it getting
clearance. I also suggested them that the possibility of a huge tunnel and underground
power generation exists in this area
Yesterday I saw my imagination and thought becoming reality…
