June 29, 2002	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1423

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GILGIT, June 28: The three Chinese engineers whose services were borrowed in 1999 for the installation of Chinese machinery at a four megawatt hydro-power project in Guro, have reportedly left for their country following deadlock over contractual disagreements, sources told Dawn on Friday.

The engineers had come to execute the project under an agreement between the Northern Areas Public Works Department (NAPWD) and a Chinese firm in 1996. They had, earlier, left after the Sept 11 events, which delayed the work. The NAPWD managed to bring them back in April.

Sources said the project was due to be launched in June 2000 on turnkey basis but the date was extended till June 2002 because of problems pertaining to the contract. Most of the work on the project has been completed and the powerhouse has become operational recently on tentative basis at a cost of Rs260 million.

The power transmission could not be undertaken as the NAPWD and the Chinese firm that furnished machinery for the project developed differences over the acquisition and installation of a circuit-breaker, that cost the project an additional Rs5m, sources said.

They said that in the final phase of the project, the engineers asked the NAPWD to furnish a circuit-breaker. The department, however, contended that it was not a part of the agreement signed in 1996. The situation led to a deadlock.

Supply of power without a circuit-breaker might damage the powerhouse during shunts and overloads, the sources said. In its absence, none of the parties wants to take the risk of beginning transmission. An NAPWD official, when contacted, refused to comment.