Thursday, March 28, 2024
spot_img

Mukul blames MPA Govt for stalling GH power projects

Date:

Share post:

spot_img
spot_img

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has blamed the previous NCP-UDP MPA coalition Government for stalling two major power projects in Garo Hills.

The Chief Minister told reporters on Friday that the 21.5 MW Ganol hydel power project and the 500 MW thermal power project, started in 2007 by the then Congress-led MDA Government, were stopped by the MPA Government.

Had the projects been allowed to be completed within the stipulated time of three years, they would have been beneficial in addressing the current power shortage in Garo Hills.

“The irony is that the interests of the people were not taken as the highest priority,” the Chief Minister added.

According to Dr Sangma, when he was the Deputy Chief Minister in charge Planning in 2007, he had impressed upon the then Chief Minister DD Lapang on the need to start the Ganol project instead of wasting money to construct a transmission line to draw power to Garo Hills.

“I suggested that the better option would be a power project in Garo Hills itself to meet the power requirement of the region,” Dr Sangma said.

He also informed that he had requested Lapang to seek the intervention of the DoNER Ministry for funds with an equity contribution by MeECL for the project.

After these deliberations with Lapang, the MeECL was asked to prepare the DPR for the Ganol hydel project, Dr Sangma informed.

“The tender was called and foundation stone for the project was also laid. MeECL also obtained the necessary clearance from various agencies like the Central Electricity Board (CEB) for taking up the project,” the Chief Minister recalled.

However, due to the election in 2008, the work could not be allotted. Moreover, the opponents have also made it an election issue, he stated.

However, by the time they could complete the bidding process and allot the project, that the NCP-UDP Government had come to power in 2008 and they did nothing to follow up on the initiative taken by the Congress-led Government, the Chief Minister said.

“For over a year, they sat on the files of the Ganol project. When the Congress came back to power a year later, I found out that the MPA Government had done nothing to push the project forward,” he said, adding that the MPA Government had also misled the people by saying that the project was a sell out and not in the interest of the people.

Dr Sangma said that the Congress-led MUA-I Government could not take the matter forward since the bid validity had already expired and the bidders were not agreeing to the rate which was quoted earlier and they were demanding for a higher price.

Left with no other option the Government had to revise the project and also took steps to get the approval from various agencies for implementing the Ganol project from scratch again, Dr Sangma said.

“The MeECL in 2011 had to get the clearance of the project from the concerned authorities which took almost a year,” Dr Sangma said.

Expressing happiness that this time the Congress is again in power, Dr Sangma said the Government would try its best to see that the project sees the light of the day.

The Chief Minister also blamed the previous MPA Government for scrapping the 500 MW thermal project in Garo Hills, despite the fact that the Congress-led MDA Government in 2007 had handed over the project to NEEPCO.

Dr Sangma, meanwhile, informed that a new memorandum of understanding has been signed with NEEPCO to implement the thermal project in Garo Hills.

spot_img
spot_img

Related articles

Denag T Sangma leaves NPP to join Congress

Tura, Mar 28:  Former chief executive member (CEM) of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Denang T Sangma,...

Sensex surges more than 700 points led by gains in financial stocks

New Delhi, March 28:  The BSE Sensex on Thursday was trading at 73,755 points, up by 758 points...

AAP accuses BJP of ‘poaching’ MP, MLA in Punjab

New Delhi, March 28:  AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday alleged that BJP has poached...

Must address dipping fertility rates in India: Experts

Shillong, March 28: The decline in fertility rates in India is a matter of concern and must be...