Centre calls HP to talk on its demand for Bhakra revenue

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had last week written a letter to the Union power minister reaffirming the state’s stand,which he says is grounded in historical facts and provisions of the States’ Reorganisation Act,1966.

In his letter,Dhumal has ruled out the possibility of an out-of-court settlement since the contentious issue is being heard by the Supreme Court which has set the Centre a three-month deadline to solve the problem.

The chief minister has said nothing less that 7.19 per cent of the joint assets of undivided Punjab is acceptable.

At Jalandhar on Tuesday,Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur reiterated the state’s stand and asked Punjab to accept the historical and legal position which is in favour of Himachal Pradesh.

Dhumal said the Centre has not given the state justice. He said despite being responsible for the implementation of the States’ Reorganisation Act,the Centre had done nothing to protect the interests of this small hill state. This compelled the state to go to the Supreme Court,he said.

At the first meeting on June 23,officials of stakeholder states of Punjab,Haryana,Rajasthan and UT (Chandigarh) opposed Himachal’s claim and said all issues stand fully settled

with the states. At this,the Union power secretary is reported to have suggested that all states follow a ‘give and take’ policy.

Dhumal protested against this suggestion in his letter to Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. He maintains that besides the legitimate share of 7.19 percent from BBMB projects,Himachal is also rightfully entitled royalty of the 12 per cent free power from these projects. Currently,the

state gets only an ad hoc share of 15 MW from the Bhakra project.

During the June 23 meeting,the state’s Chief Secretary Asha Swaroop had stressed on 12 per cent free power as royalty,besides the 7.19 percent share on the basis of population — as prescribed in the States’ Reorganisation Act 1966 — and also payment of arrears of Rs 2,199.77 crore of pending claims.