Khanduri to demand resources from centre

In view of the bleak power scenario in the nascent hill state, Uttarakhand will seek allocation of gas and coal blocks, clearance to hydel projects and transfer of 25 per cent equity of THDCIL from the Centre.

These issues will be raised by Chief Minister B C Khanduri during his meeting with Union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at New Delhi shortly, top officials said. Khanduri this evening left for the national capital.

Khanduri would call for allocation of gas and coal blocks for the hill state keeping in view the current shortage of power.

Khanduri pointed out that the state-owned company UJVN was setting up two gas-based power plants at Kashipur and Haridwar with a total capacity of 1000 Mw.

Khanduri is of the view that the Centre must intervene to solve the issues concerning 600-Mw Kishau and 420-Mw Lakhwar Vyasi multi-purpose projects as they are going to benefit a host of northern states including Delhi, Haryana and others.

Khanduri would also raise the issue of transfer of 25 per cent of equity of Uttar Pradesh in THDCIL, which had already commissioned the mega 1400-Mw Tehri multipurpose hydel project, to Uttarakhand under the 2000 reorganisation Act of Uttar Pradesh.

The chief minister is also demanding 2000 Mw of free power following the scrapping of two key hydel projects 480 Mw Pala Maneri and 381 Mw Bhaironghati on environmental and religious grounds in the state by the Ganga river basin authority which is headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Significantly, ever since the Centre scrapped three major hydel projects that include NTPC’s 600-Mw Lohari Nagpala, the hydropower scenario in the hill state has taken a beating with the government now keen to tap other power resources like gas and coal.