Karnataka CM to discuss project with Cogentrix

Karnataka CM to discuss project with Cogentrix
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

BANGALORE, DEC 14: Karnataka CM S M Krishna will meet Mangalore Power Company managing director Ron Sommers on Wednesday to discuss the 1000 MW power plant at Nandikoor in Dakshina Kannada in the light of the Supreme Court judgement.

The company, floated jointly by the United States-based Cogentrix and the China Power and Light Company, had announced that it was pulling out of the project citing delay and red tapism.

When asked about the future action by the government, he said that Sommers spoke to him over telephone and discussed the issue including the meeting he had with the Union Power Minister Kumaramangalam.

Asked whether the company would reconsider its decision in the light of the judgement, Krishna said "I don't know what he has in his mind. I will be able to throw more light on the subject only after I meet him. He has conveyed my views to the board of directors on starting the project already," he added.

Answering a question he said if the Enron Company could overcome environmentalproblems in Maharashtra, even Cogentrix could overcome it in Karnataka for executing its mega project. On the agitation by the environmentalists against the project, he said the government was also equally concerned about protection of environment. However, the process of development of the state should also be kept in mind, he felt.

When pointed out that two more cases relating to the same project were pending before the courts, he said this was the major hurdle which had come in the way of the Centre giving clearance to the project and did not know about the other cases.