13% share to HP in power project against norms: DC

Ropar, December 19

While the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) is preparing to revive the Baggi power project, claiming to have resolved the dispute over royalty and power sharing between member states, Ropar Deputy Commissioner Sumeet Jarangal said allotting 13 per cent share to Himachal Pradesh in the project was against norms.

Claiming that the free power sharing formula in the project would affect Punjab’s interests, Jarangal has urged MP Manish Tewari to intervene in the matter. Tewari was here to hold a meeting for district administration officials.

Last month the BBMB chairman confirmed that the project had been revived with decision that Himachal would receive a royalty of 12 per cent of the power generated at this plant and the remaining output would be distributed among the member states in accordance with the laid-down mandate.

Jarangal told the MP that the BBMB had proposed to allocate 12% free power and one per cent additional free power for HP in the project. He said the BBMB claimed it was as per the National Hydro Power Policy 1998/2008. Terming it wrong, he claimed that under the National Hydro Power Policy, 12 per cent free power was applicable to joint ventures between public sector units or state electricity boards and domestic and foreign enterprises.

Tewari assured the DC that after going through the details of project he would take up the matter with the BBMB and the state government. — TNS