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Haryana power pangs: BJP-JJP govt going soft on Adani Power, says Congress
Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said Haryana was in the middle of an emergent power crisis
The Congress on Saturday slammed the BJP-JJP government in Haryana for ‘going soft’ on Adani Power Limited, which has stopped 1,424 MW of contracted electricity supply to the state despite a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) in place.
Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala at a press briefing accused the state government of having a nexus with private power generators. “What action has chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar taken against Adani Power for not supplying contracted power of 1,424 MW since 2021?,” he asked.
Surjewala said the state is not getting contracted power at cheap rates from Adani Power and has to buy electricity at double rate to meet the shortfall at the cost of public exchequer.
A former power minister himself, Surjewala said Haryana was in the middle of an emergent power crisis. “People from all walks of life are suffering in the scorching heat with power cuts of 12 hours or more everyday. Industry in Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kundli, Faridabad, Gurugram, and Manesar is on virtual shutdown,” he added.
The Congress leader said the Supreme Court had in April 2017 rejected the claim of Adani Power for discharge or termination of PPA or for the charging of extra cost of Indonesian coal from power utilities. “Despite the SC order, Adani Power has not been supplying electricity to Haryana for the last several months, mainly on the premise that imported coal from Indonesia has become expensive. Instead of binding them down and enforcing the PPA with Adani Power, the Khattar government has chosen to take no action. Instead, it is buying short-term power at rates ranging from ₹5 to ₹8 per unit, thereby burdening the public exchequer,” he said.
The former minister said, “Strangely, the expensive power being bought by state government is not even at the risk and cost of Adani Power. Even HERC in its April 6 order had questioned the government for not buying short-term power at the risk and cost of Adani Power.”
“Considering that the rate of Adani Power PPA was ₹2.94 per unit and the rates of proposed short-term power are 5.75 per unit, the state will be paying ₹2.81 per unit extra. For 500 MW, the extra burden would be ₹140.50 crore daily,” he added.
Referring to the April 22 statement of Haryana CM, the Congress general secretary said that Khattar said at Gurugram that he will ask the private players to provide power supply at reasonable rates.
“Giving enhanced cost of coal to Adani Power will cost state government an additional ₹2,200 crore annually,” he said.
It may be noted that HT had last week highlighted how non-availability of 1,424 MW Adani Power was a major cause of shortage in Haryana.
Tosham MLA slams govt over power cut
Former minister and Congress’ Tosham MLA Kiran Choudhry on Saturday slammed the BJP-JJP coalition government over its policies.
Addressing mediapersons at her residence in Bhiwani, she accused the government and local administration of not making adequate procurement logistical arrangements for procurement of rabi crops .
“The government should give ₹500 per quintal bonus on wheat because the farmers’ production has reduced. Due to short-sighted policies of the state government, there is coal shortage in power plants, resulting in them running below capacity. The state government has not made any power purchase agreements with private firms anticipating enhanced demand due to premature heat wave in April ,” she added.
She further alleged that farmers of Haryana have been battling the paucity of fertilisers and forced to purchase the same at exorbitant prices .
She further alleged that the mafias have been encroaching upon parks , ponds and other public facilities of municipal corporations.
(With inputs from Rohtak)
