By PRABEER SIKDAR
DEHRADUN, 14 June 2009: With frequent power cuts due to an increasing demand-supply gap, the phrase ‘Urja Pradesh’ (Energy State) seems a misnomer for Uttarakhand.
As the power scenario goes on the way from bad to worse in the state, allegations of corruption and double-dealing with regard to handing over hydel-power generation to private players are flying thick in the Power Department.
A case of bungling that has emerged from the cupboard of the department pertains to construction of a 63MW Hydro-Power project on the Tons River in Uttarakashi. The project was officially sanctioned to Krishna Knitwear Technology Limited (KKTL), a Mumbai headquartered company, reportedly in the year 2006.
The said company specialises in manufacturing cotton yarn, polyester yarn, knitted fabrics and garments.
According to official sources, as per the new Hydro-power policy announced by the government in 2008, a company with no prior expertise in the proposed undertaking (hydro-power project in this instance), can be permitted to carry out the project.
“The foremost priority is that a company should be technologically and financially sound,” said a source on condition of anonymity.
However, the twist in the tale is that this very company, even till this month, is yet to submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for its proposed Hydro-power project in Uttarakashi, to the government.
Reports now say that KKTL has transferred the project deal to a reputed CD/DVD storage device company, which mainly markets movies at affordable cost, without the knowledge of the powers that be.
Although sources in Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL) say that, as per the new Hydro-power policy, projects can be transferred from one private player to another, there is a rider. “An incomplete project can be taken over by another only after the original lessee submits a DPR, followed by governmental approval for the new company,” said a source, who did not wish to be named, explaining that a change of ownership between two private players without submitting DPR is illegal.
In this case, the DPR filing deadline for KKTL is said to be by August, 2009. It is, however, not known why there has been so much delay in filing the DPR, when hundreds of villages remain in darkness in the state.
Those in the know say that despite having a single window clearance facility, (which operates on paper) the delay is caused on account of many NoCs required from over two dozen State and Central departments.
Meanwhile, with regard to the fate of the KKTL’s Tons River project, government sources are now contemplating issuing a legal notice. ‘We cannot take any action until the deadline passes,” said a government functionary, adding that a fine of Rs 74,000 would be levied per day on the erring private company after the expiry of the deadline.
There is more to this power conundrum than meets the eye. At a time when people are facing power cuts umpteen times, the state government strangely seems to be sporting a devil-may-care attitude.
When Garhwal Post contacted Dharendra Tayal, Director KKTL, he said, “We will submit the Detailed Project Report on time (by August, 2009).”
When he was asked whether it was the first time KKTL (it formed its subsidiary called Tayal Energy Ltd) was getting into the Energy Sector, Dharendra Tayal evaded saying he was in a meeting.
Surprisingly, in an interview to a financial daily, published on 21 July, 2006, Saurabh Kumar Tayal, Chairman of KSL Realty and Infrastructure (another arm of KKTL) had promised to complete the Mori-Hanol Project in Uttarkashi by 2009!
Repeated calls to the office of Yogendra Prasad, Chairman, Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam, went unanswered.
http://www.garhwalpost.com/index.php?mod=article&cat=Feature&article=1317
No comments:
Post a Comment