Companies chosen by Mukul Sangma for power projects had dubious credentials: Conrad
TURA: A political discourse marked by claims and counter claims over cancellation of power projects in the State has touched a new frenzy with NPP candidate Conrad Sangma taking on the chief minister over allegations leveled against him.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had at election rallies in East Garo Hills on Saturday accused the previous Donkupar Roy government (2008-2009), in which Conrad K Sangma was the Power minister, of jeopardizing the development of the power sector in the State by cancelling a series of power projects signed by him (Mukul) with private companies when he was the Power minister in the D.D. Lapang government.
“Conrad as Power minister cancelled all the power projects initiated by our Congress government and hampered the development of the power sector,” Mukul Sangma had claimed at Dagal during an election rally.
He alleged that it was because of the Donkupar Roy government’s attempts at undoing all the works of the previous Congress government that they had to bring Roy’s government down.
Choosing to rubbish the allegations of the chief minister, NPP candidate Conrad questioned the credentials of the companies with whom the deal had been signed.
“The agreements signed with the private companies went against the interests of the State. It would have only benefitted the companies. Moreover, it is a fact that some of the companies allotted the projects had no previous track record on power projects. Documents are there in the open for people to judge for themselves,” said Conrad while speaking to reporters on Sunday.
Memoranda of agreements were signed with private companies by the then Power Minister Mukul Sangma in 2007 to set up six power projects in the State.
Some of the companies which won the contracts were Jaypee group, Dharampal Satyapal group, ETA Star Infrastructure Limited, Athena Project Private Ltd, Seven Sisters Energy Limited and SEW Energy Ltd under the Built-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) system for 40 long years.
The six companies were given the green light by the Congress Government to develop the Kynshi Stage I-II, Umngot, Leshka Stage-II, Umiew and Simsang basin power projects.
“The projects were allotted without calling for an international tender which went against the established norms on power projects clearance. We were left with no option but to rewrite the agreements since it was a violation of the law. Our priority was to safeguard the interests of the State and not someone’s self-interest goal,” reminded Conrad while also mentioning that the Donkupar Roy government had to intervene as several pressure groups and organizations in the State had raised a hue and cry against the power deals demanding a relook.
Conrad also pointed out that the agreements had no policy framework for the State to receive maximum benefits.
“The privatization of power in the State by the Congress government was a total sell-out of the State resources. It was in the interests of the private companies,” said the NPP candidate.