AAP team meets speaker, seeks scrapping of PPAS with pvt firms

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday made a strong push for adoption of a resolution in the special session of the Punjab assembly to scrap the power purchase agreements (PPAS) signed by the previous SAD-BJP government with private power producers to bring down electricity rates in the state.

A party delegation comprising leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, Sunam MLA Aman Arora and Kotkapura MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan among others met speaker Rana KP Singh and sought his permission to move the private member’s bill titled “The Punjab Termination of Power Purchase Agreements with 3 IPPS Bill”, in the two-day special session of the state assembly commencing here on Thursday.

They also submitted a ‘call attention motion’ to the speaker, seeking termination of the PPAS.

Kuwant Singh Pandori, Jai Krishan Singh Rori, Manjit Singh Bilaspur (MLAS), core committee member and state media head Manjit Singh Sidhu and party spokesperson Satbir Singh Walia were part of the delegation.

Cheema later said the private member’s bill seeking cancellation of power agreements was also submitted to the speaker, seeking permission to present it on the floor of the House on January 16 and 17, 2020.

SAD FOR CBI PROBE INTO POWER SCAMS

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday urged Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore to direct the Congress government to recommend a CBI inquiry into the nexus between ministers, Congress leaders and officials in the ₹4,100 crore power scams.

A delegation of the SAD led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal also urged the governor to direct the state government to dismiss all ministers and officials who dealt with files which caused loss to the state.