State’s interests will be protected: Thakur

Shimla, February 13

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said his government would always strive to protect the rights of the state and it was on Himachal’s insistence that Delhi had agreed to bear the entire cost of the 40 MW hydro project to be set up as part of Renuka dam. The issue was raised by Vinay Kumar during the question hour today. “We expressed our reluctance in signing the MoU among the six states on January 11, 2019 till Delhi agreed to bear the cost on 90:10 basis. I can assure the house that we have ensured that the state’s interests are protected in the agreement,” the CM said.

Replying to the query, Power Minister Anil Sharma said that Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation would set up the project and a sum of Rs 686.80 crore had been received so far out of which Rs 451.28 crore had been spent. “A sum of Rs 4,596 crores was to be spent on the setting up of the Renuka dam but now the figure is likely to touch Rs 7,000 crore,” the minister said. He added that 948 hectares land will have to be acquired for which compensation amount will be provided by the Centre.

Replying to a query by Lakhvinder Rana on polluting industries in the Nalagarh industrial area, the Chief Minister said strict action would be taken against all units which are causing pollution. He said a common effluent treatment plant with a capacity of 25 million litres had been set up in the area to ensure that no effluents are allowed to flow into the water bodies. — TNS