Employee Union caution Himachal govt about small power projects
Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board employees union has cautioned the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government about the ownership of four power projects allotted to the board in the year 2013
Board Union leader Hira Lal said that four small power projects were given to the Electricity Board for construction work.
The Board has prepared the project report for these projects and done the forest clearance, land acquisition, and financial management from the German company through the Central Government.
Funding for these projects is done by a German company M/s KFW. An agreement has been signed between the Central Government which includes a grant of Rs 550 crore to the Board if these projects are completed within the stipulated time.
In the month of June, these projects were snatched from the Electricity Board and given to the Power Corporation. After that, in August, with the intervention of the Chief Minister, these projects were returned to the Electricity Board for construction work.
He said in a press statement issued here today that now there is an unnecessary delay in the construction work of these projects due to which the central grant of Rs 550 crore may be lost.
It is surprising that preparations are being made to hand over the construction work of these projects to the Board and the Power Corporation again, which is not technically possible.
He said that all the agreements and land acquisitions have been done with the Electricity Board, there are many intricacies of accounting, corporate ministry, and legal and these projects would not be completed on time under any circumstances.
The union accused the government officials that they are not following the orders issued by the Chief Minister and making an attempt to snatch these projects from the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board again.
In August 2023 four Power projects Sai Kothi-I (15 MW), Sai Kothi-II (18 MW), Devi Kothi (16 MW), and Hail (18 MW) handed over to HPSEBL for their execution on the pressure of the employees union.
Employees said that board management is run by an ad-hoc chairman and managing director and till the last six months these projects have been hanging fire for the last 6 months and further delay may result elapse of Rs.550 Cr. grant.
