Ahead of peak tourist season and start of annual Amarnath yatra Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed once again created a piquant situation for the BJP by suggesting to abandon the Artificial Tawi lake project. Since BJP has been a votary of promoting Jammu city as an independent tourist destination, the unilateral decision to shelve the big ticket Artificial lake project, being constructed at an estimated cost of 70 crores, has adversely impacted its image especially when it is part of the State Government.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties, Congress and National Conference have joined the chorus to expose the fault lines existing between the alliance partners holding divergent views on many contentious issues of governance. Fearing backlash from the people of Jammu region BJP’s Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh had swiftly switched on to the damage control mode and rushed to Delhi to meet Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti. After attending the meeting Dr Singh had issued a statement claiming, “Artificial lake on river Tawi is a dream project of the people of Jammu. It cannot be wound up”. Sayeed had earlier hinted at shelving Artificial lake Project in Jammu, saying it is not “feasible”.