Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that the state government would not sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the proposed Kishau Dam project until Haryana gives a written commitment to Himachal’s pending claims.
“We will not sign the Kishau Dam MoU until Himachal Pradesh’s interests are fully protected. Haryana must give a written commitment on our pending claims. There will be no compromise on the rights of the people,” Sukhu said on the sidelines of the flagging off 297 new Type-I electric buses from Kyarighat in Solan district.
He said Himachal has made a precondition that Haryana government should released BBMB arrears pending since 2011 before signing the agreement on the Kishau project, said Sukhu. He asserted that despite favourable legal decisions, the arrears had not yet been released by the neighbouring states.
“I know that if the agreement on the Kishau project is not signed, half of Haryana, parts of Delhi, Gurugram and large areas of Rajasthan could face a severe water crisis. We are not making unreasonable demands—we are only seeking what rightfully belongs to Himachal,” said Sukhu.
He also accused the previous BJP government of allowing valuable industrial land in Baddi-Nalagarh to be allotted at throwaway prices under customised incentive packages, while adding that the present government had safeguarded public assets and secured higher revenues from projects such as Wildflower Hall, JSW, and the Kishau project.
{{/usCountry}}He also accused the previous BJP government of allowing valuable industrial land in Baddi-Nalagarh to be allotted at throwaway prices under customised incentive packages, while adding that the present government had safeguarded public assets and secured higher revenues from projects such as Wildflower Hall, JSW, and the Kishau project.
{{/usCountry}}CM announces procurement of 1,000 e-buses
Sukhu, while flagging off 297 new Type-I electric buses in Solan said the the buses would reduce dependence on fossil fuels, significantly lower carbon emissions besides decreasing operational costs and strengthening the financial position of HRTC.
He also launched the ‘HimBus Plus Card’. Later, while interacting with the media persons, the CM stated that with the induction of these 297 buses, the total number of electric buses in the HRTC fleet has reached 500.
The CM announced that the state government would procure 1,000 additional electric buses during the current year with the tendering process to commence shortly. The government was also considering the procurement of 100 hydrogen-powered buses to protect the state’s natural environment from the adverse impacts of climate change and to position Himachal Pradesh as a leading green energy state in the country.
Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri while speaking on the occasion said that the newly inducted electric buses have been specially designed to suit Himachal Pradesh’s challenging terrain and hilly road conditions.
Jan Samvad programmes from Aug 6
Jan Samvad programmes under the Himachal government’s flagship initiative “Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana” to be held on August 6, 7 and 8, said the chief minister.
The Chief Minister said that the Jan Samvad programmes would be held at the block level and chaired by the respective MLAs. “Clusters of Gram Panchayats would be formed for the purpose, with each cluster comprising a maximum of ten Gram Panchayats,” said CM during the review meeting of the rural development and panchayati raj department.