Chandigarh Administration to file review petition

Chandigarh, December 1

The UT Administration has decided to file a review petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against its order that stayed the privatisation of the Electricity Department. UT Adviser Manoj Parida said they would

continued on page 2 first file a review petition in the High Court, failing which they would move the Supreme Court.

The UT Engineering Department had invited bids for privatisation of the Electricity Department on November 9. As many as 17 intended bidders, including Tata Power Company Limited, GMR Generation Asset Limited and Adani Transmission Limited, were issued request for proposal (RFP) to take part in the privatisation process of the department.

The Centre had decided to privatise electricity distribution in the UTs to provide better service to consumers.

Meanwhile, AAP has welcomed the stay granted by the High Court.

Questioning the rationale behind privatising the department, local AAP convener Prem Garg said even in Punjab and Haryana, though the erstwhile electricity boards were divided into different utility companies, the control of the companies by and large remained with the respective state governments. “What’s the tearing hurry to privatise, when the department isn’t incurring any losses,” he questioned. The Administration should first consult all stakeholders and consider their opinions and objections and decide accordingly by taking care of the ground realities, he said. —TNS