By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Government has already prepared a white paper on the Myntdu-Leshka hydel project which will be tabled during the next session of the Assembly, informed Chief Secretary WMS Pariat.
It was Paul Lyngdoh (UDP) who had raised the issue in the recent Assembly session demanding a white paper on the matter as the project cost has shot upto Rs 1000 crore from Rs 360 crore.
According to Pariat, the white paper will include many interesting features about the project.
Pariat claimed that Leshka is one of the fastest completed power projects in the country with the least cost.
Downplaying the Myntdu-Leshka controversy, the Chief Secretary said that since the water level is low, only one unit is working though others are functional, but not used.
“When there is sufficient rain, power generation will be at the optimum level as all the three units would be operational,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary also informed that the revised rate of dues imposed on the State Government by the Central PSUs including the Power Grid and NEEPCO with retrospective effect from 2007 till 2010 has resulted in the huge financial liability on the part of the State Government.
The charge for use of power was revised and hiked over 20 to 25 per cent from the past bringing an additional burden on the Government, Pariat told reporters on Wednesday.
In this regard, the Government had to shell out Rs 100 crore more to these PSUs due to the revised rate.
The Chief Secretary, who is also the Chairman cum Managing Director of MeECL, said that the State Government is now exploring ways and means to get money to pay the pending dues of Rs 20 crore per month to NEEPCO so that the Government can avail 33 MW of power. The total power dues with NEEPCO is over Rs 244 crore.