Swami ruffles UP's feathers, seeks review of all PPAs

Swami ruffles UP's feathers, seeks review of all PPAs
S.M.A. KAZMI

DEHRADUN, NOV 22: The newly-created state of Uttaranchal is headed for a major confrontation with its mother state, Uttar Pradesh, following Chief Minister Nityanand Swami's announcement that all Power Project Agreements (PPAs) signed by UP would be reviewed and those harming the state's interests scrapped.

Swami announced yesterday that his government would look into agreements by the UP government selling off some power projects in Uttaranchal to private companies before the new hill state came into existence.

State Energy, Irrigation and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bhagat Singh Khoshiyari, who is also chief of the Uttaranchal unit of the ruling BJP, went even a step further.

He said any clause, pertaining to water management in the Uttaranchal Creation Bill passed by both the Houses of Parliament, that goes against the state's interests is unacceptable. The Bill proposes a Ganga Management Board, comprising all neighbouring states, to manage rivers.

Asked about clauses denying Uttaranchal the right to build power projects, ply boats or even catch fish in its rivers, he said, support for it had been a tactical move to clear way for creation of the state. Now all clauses which go against Uttaranchal will be opposed, he said.

Although Swami's announcement is likely to stir a hornet's nest in Uttar Pradesh, it has created much jubiliation in the hills. Incidentally, there was much hue and cry here when the UP government sold some power projects in the area to private companies.

When the Srinagar power project was sold off to a private company, Maj. Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd), now Union surface transport minister and Member of Parliament from Pauri Garhwal had opposed the move. In a letter to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Khanduri had appealed to him to restrain UP from taking decisions on matters pertaining Uttaranchal's resources.

He had also termed as ``highly inappropriate'', the handing over of the 330 MW Srinagar hydro-electric power project to Duncan North Hydro Power Company(DNHPC).

Uttaranchal leaders allege that nothing has been left in the state's handsas all control vests with either UP or the Ganga Management Board. Congress leader Suryakant Dashmana charged that the UP government had sold off all four power projects, namely Srinagar, Maneri Bhali phase-11, Lakhwar Beasi and Vishnu Prayg, before Uttaranchal came into being.

Demanding an end to UP's hegemony over the new state on issues crucial to its survival and sustenance, Jal Andolan -- -- a water movement in the hills -- --has also called upon the Centre to put UP's move to demand Rs.8000 crore more for the power projects on hold.

Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, founder of the movement in the hills, said in a letter to Home Minister L.K. Advani that realisation of expenses incurred by UP to instal the projects was totally uncalled for as the state had consumed power much in excess of this amount.