By Bijender Sharma
SHIMLA-- He raised all the pending issues pertaining to power with Shri Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Power, who called on him last evening in New Delhi, to seek state intervention in various modalities required to be completed for completion of the ongoing hydro electric projects in the state by the Central PSUs.
Chief Minister reminded the Union Minister of State that the state had been demanding its legitimate share of free power, relief and rehabilitation of the oustees, in all the hydro electric projects executed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) which had been a matter of grave concern for the state and people. He said that the matter had been raised time and again on all fronts with Government of India but nothing had so far been done. He said that thousands of families were ousted, rendered homeless, to pave the way for the construction of the Bhakra Dam, Pong Dam and BSL Project and the legitimate share of free power and other incentives to the oustees, as per the agreement, were still pending for disposal. He said that the state government had been preferring the central PSUs for taking up the exploitation of the identified hydel potential in the state with the condition that the New Power Policy was implemented in letter and spirit, 70 percent employment be provided to the local people at all levels, attractive relief and rehabilitation package offered to the people, who had been giving their ancestral possessions like land and house for the projects.
Prof. Dhumal pointed out that the NHPC, NTPC and SJVNL authorities were yet to implement the condition of 70 percent employment in their projects, which was being viewed by the state government seriously. He sought the intervention of the Minister to get the local people their share of employment in all such projects. He also said that the state government was extending all possible help to the project executing authorities while they were ignoring the interests of the state. He said that the pace of work in Parbati, Kol Dam and other similar projects was moving at a slow pace which needed to be expedited and completion ensured in a time bound manner. He said that the state government was committed to exploit the full-identified hydel potential in shortest possible period of time for which concerted efforts were required to be made by both the parties. He said that the state government would consider the request of the Union Government to undertake the execution of 40MW HEP at Baggi in Sundernagar.
Chief Minister said that the state government would be extending all possible help to the power project executors to complete all allotted projects expeditiously. He directed the state Forest Department to prepare the forest proposal for the First Stage of 750MW capacity of the 2051MW Parbati Hydro Electric Project being executed by the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) in three stages, afresh and submit the same to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forestry and urged the Union Minister of State for Power to follow up at his level for early clearance.
Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Power assured the Chief Minister that he would look into the matter of employment condition not being followed by NHPC, NTPC and SJVNL authorities and get the state its legitimate share. He brought to the notice of the Chief Minister that forest clearance in respect of first stage of the 750MW capacity of the Parbati Project was yet to be received from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forestry and sought the cooperation of the state government in expediting the same. He also assured the Chief Minister that he would be looking into all the pending issues of the state with his Ministry and get the matter decided the earliest possible so that the relief due to the state was given in time.
