Clear arrears of our share in projects: HP to BBMB
SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government has urged the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to clear the arrears for the state’s share in projects managed by it.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur took up the issue when BBMB chairman DK Sharma met him in Shimla on Saturday to deliberate on a host of issues concerning the state.
The government has asked the BBMB to expedite arrears payable to Himachal as per the Supreme Court judgment. In 1998, the state had moved the SC to gets its share in BBMB’s power projects.
Under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the state has 7.19% share in five BBMB-run projects at Shanan, Dehar, Pong Dam and Bhakra and the Nangal Dam.
The apex court had granted relief to the state allowing the share in accordance with the Punjab Reorganisation Act. Himachal had then calculated the total arrears up to Rs 4,250 crore. The Centre later cut it down to Rs 3,400 crore.
Himachal contended the reduction in the arrears and termed it as an arbitrary action on part of the Centre. It said the arrear claim was based on tariff fixed for the electricity supply to the National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) by BBMB at the time of Green Revolution in 1974.
The state said the arrears should have been based on electricity tariff fixed by the coalbased Badarpur thermal power station that had an installed capacity of 705 megawatt (MW).
Thakur also sought BBMB’s
CM ALSO SEEKS BBMB’S HELP IN PROMOTING TOURISM AT GOVIND SAGAR RESERVOIR AND MAHARANA PRATAP SAGAR RESERVOIR
assistance in promoting tourism at the Govind Sagar reservoir of the Bhakra Nangal Dam at Bilaspur besides allowing water tourism at the Maharana Pratap Sagar reservoir at Pong in Kangra district.
The government has drawn a plan to promote tourism at the manmade reservoirs of the hydel power projects including dams at Chamera, Pong, Govindsagar, Tatapani, Largi and Pandoh. Govindsagar Lake is being developed for water sports and shikara (house boat) boating, sea plane and other recreational activities.
Similarly, the Pong Dam being a favorite destination for bird-watchers would be developed as a water sports attraction.
STATE FOR PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP OF BOARD
Thakur also raised the issue of giving permanent membership to Himachal in BBMB along with partner states Haryana and Punjab. The state government has asked the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) to incorporate the state as a member in BBMB. The board was constituted in 1966 for irrigation and electricity projects.
The board regulates the supply of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas waters to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Chandigarh.
It also distributes power from the Bhakra-Nangal and Beas projects among the states. The state has also urged the Centre to amend the Punjab Reorganisation Act, if required, to give it BBMB membership.