Akhilesh hits back at BJP, fires six missives to Modi

LUCKNOW: Fighting protests and criticism with letters, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has fired six missives to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, putting the onus on the BJP for the dismal power supply situation.

The chief minister's move comes at a time when he is under attack from the BJP over the poor supply scenario. The six letters are also an attempt to counter the half-a-dozen demonstrations that the BJP's wings have held against his government in front of the Vidhan Bhawan since June 25.

In his letters sent to the PM on July 1, 2014, Yadav has listed all the power sector related issues that have remained pending with various ministries of the union government.

He has urged the PM to ensure special allocation of power to the state in view of the weather conditions. The chief minister has also requested the PM to intervene to expedite approvals, forest and environment clearances and ensure supply of quality coal to thermal power plants.

"For the last more than 15 days, the state of Uttar Pradesh is facing an acute power crisis. The problem is getting further aggravated due to extremely hot weather conditions which has given rise to a sudden increase in demand. It is accordingly requested that special allocations may be made in favour of Uttar Pradesh," the chief minister has said.

FOR LAST MANY DAYS, UP IS FACING AN ACUTE POWER CRISIS. IT IS REQUESTED THAT SPECIAL ALLOCATIONS MAY BE MADE IN FAVOUR OF UTTAR PRADESH

AKHILESH YADAV, chief minister

Giving details of the power being supplied to Uttar Pradesh vis-à-vis other states like Delhi and Maharashtra, the chief minister has said more power should be supplied to the state in view of its higher population and variation in climatic conditions.

"On the basis of population, Uttar Pradesh is the biggest state in India. Accordingly, it should get maximum allocation of the power generated by the central sector generating stations. However, on comparison of allocations, we find that New Delhi, which has population less than half of Uttar Pradesh, is having an allocation of almost 70% of the allocation to Uttar Pradesh. Similarly Maharashtra, having less population than Uttar Pradesh, is getting even larger allocations (6396 MW) in the Central sector generating station as compared to Uttar Pradesh (5788 MW)," said the chief minister, thereby indicating that the state was getting a step-motherly treatment at the hands of the Centre.

“The criteria for allocation of power to dif f erent states therefore need to be revisited so as to holistically cover all t he parameters, including those mentioned above, such as demand growth, variation in climatic conditions, irrigational requirements of a particular state and accordingly allow the state of Uttar Pradesh a higher allocation in the central sector generating stations,” said the chief minister.

In his second letter, the chief minister has referred to the thermal power (3x660MW) project that UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited and Neyveli Lignite Corporation are jointly setting up at Ghatampur in Kanpur Nagar district through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) — Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited. In this letter, the chief minister has referred to the union government’s policy wherein t he environment clearance to the thermal power projects would be issued after stage-I forestry clearance for the linked coal block.

“Due to the said policy, the environment clearance of Ghatampur Thermal Power Project is held up. Secondly, the Cabinet Committee on Investment at the Government of India level has also held up approval of the project cost for the Ghatampur project for want of environment clearance… it is requested that the condition policy may be reviewed and necessary approval for the Ghatampur project is granted expeditiously,” said the chief minister.

In his third letter, the chief minister has referred to the construction of two 765KV lines connecting Gwalior to Jaipur (to draw power from power plants in Chhattisgarh) and 765 Anpara-Unnao line (passing through the Wild Life Sanctuary of Kaimpur-Sonebhadra). He said,

“I would request that a direction may kindly be issued to the ministry of environment and forest for expeditious clearance of these issues to enable the central transmission utility and the state transmission utility to complete these lines.”

In his fourth letter, t he chief minister has urged the PM to lift the moratorium that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the ministry of environment and forest, has imposed on eight critically polluted areas (including Singrauli) to facilitate expansion of 2x660MW Obra ‘C’ expansion thermal power project.

In his fifth letter, Yadav has drawn Modi’s attention to the supply of boulders with the coal to Anpara (1630MW) and Parichha (1140MW) power stations. “Since UP is a power starved state, Coal India needs to make special efforts to ensure supply of coal as per linkage and also ensure that the proper quality crushed coal is dispatched.”

In his sixth letter, the CM has referred to allocat i on of Chendiapada and Chendiapada-II coal blocks in Talcher coal field of Angul district in Odisha by the ministry of coal vide an order dated 25-07-2007 jointly to the UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited, Lucknow, the Chhatisgarh Mineral Development Cor poration and the Maharashtra State Power Generation Corporation in the ratio of 50:31.47:18.53 for their thermal power projects. The chief minister said the ministry of coal, through its

letter dated 16-01-2014, had stayed this.

“In view of the above, the coal ministry may be requested/ directed t o reconsider the decision so that the coal block is developed in time and does not af f ect t he t i mely generation from the thermal power projects proposed to be installed in the state of Uttar Pradesh.”