Centre Govt refuses to shelve Lohari Nagpala project
S.M.A. Kazmi | Tribune News Service | Dehradun, 29 June 2008
The union power ministry has decided not to suspend the 600 MW Lohari Nagpala hydroelectric project being undertaken by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) pitting the central government against the environmentalists as well as the Hindutva forces. Meanwhile, the ‘fast unto death’ undertaken by Prof. G.D. Agarwal, a noted environmentalist against power projects on the Ganga, entered its’17th day today.
Union minister of state for power Jairam Ramesh during his visit to Tehri hydroelectric project categorically stated that there was no question of closure of 600 MW Lohari Nagpala project on Bhagirathi river.
Professor Agarwal, a noted environmentalist, had started his ‘fast unto death’ agitation on June 13 to demand scrapping of hydroelectric projects on the Ganga between Gangotri and Uttarkashi. Bowing to the pressure, thee BJP government in Uttarakhand decided to shelve two of its power projects - 400 MW Pala Maneri and 310 MW Bhairon Ghati projects.
After the decision of the state government, Agarwal shifted from Uttarkashi to New Delhi to pressurise the union government to suspend the 600 MW Lohari Nagpala project.
The reaction by Jairam Ramesh was the first reaction by a functionary of the union government on the power projects on the Ganga. Already, the Uttarakhand Congress has objected to the agitation by Agarwal and termed it as politically motivated to help the BJP in the next General Election.
Ramesh said the NTPC has already spent Rs 300 crore on Lohari Nagpala project and there was no question of stopping the project. Asked about the decision of the Uttarakhand government to shelve its’ project, Ramesh replied that Pala Maneri and Bhaironghati projects were only on drawing boards and there was no problem in shelving them.
On another controversy between the state government and the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) on the issue of Lakhwar Vyasi power project, the union minister of state for power said the project would be built in collaboration by the NHPC and the state government. Earlier, NHPC officials had alleged that the state government had taken the Lakhwar Vyasi project from them without assigning any reason.
“We will be sending the draft of the memorandum of understanding on the project to the state government soon,” Ramesh clarified.
News Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
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