Chandigarh, October 12: In a hard hitting statement released today, the Leader of Opposition Mr. Sukhpal Singh Khaira vehemently opposed the government proposal to shut down the thermal power plants of Bathinda, Lehra Mohabbat and Roopnagar.
He said it is astonishing that although the Government of India has recently spent Rs. 750 crore for the renovation and modernisation of the Bathinda thermal plant, which can produce electricity till the year 2025 yet the government is adamant to shut it down. Mr. Khaira stated that apart from loosing assets worth Rs. 9,000 crore more than 6300 regular and contractual employees will loose their livelihood. In other words he said, instead of providing one job per family as per its election manifesto, the Congress government is going to steal bread and butter of these 6300 families.
Mr. Khaira elaborated and wondered what would the Punjab government do with its 750 million tonnes coal quota being allocated shortly, as this coal quota can only be used for state owned plants and can’t be given to private plants.
The PSPCL Mr. Khaira said has got a Rs. 1100 crore shock by the Larson & Turbo subsidiary Nabha Power Limited (NPL) Rajpura as coal washing cost, after the Supreme Court decision couple of days back. Mr. Khaira warned the Punjab government that power tariff is likely to shoot up on account of a condition incorporated in the PPA’s signed between the PSPCL and private thermal plant companies, according to which PSPCL has to pay a minimum amount for power even if not utilised by the state.
Mr. Khaira said that AAP fully supports the cause of thousands of regular and contractual employees of state owned plants and assures them to take up this burning issue, in the ensuing session of the Vidhan Sabha.
