Another power hike to compensate cancellation of power purchase agreement will not be allowed, says V.D. Satheeshan
He accuses the govt. of cancelling the deal reached by Oommen Chandy cabinet in 2014 for purchasing power for ₹4.29 per unit
Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheeshan has accused the State government and the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited (KSEBL) of inflicting crores worth of losses on the State exchequer by cancelling the agreement reached by the Oommen Chandy cabinet in 2014 for purchasing power for ₹4.29 per unit.
He alleged that the agreement was cancelled out of the blue in 2023 following a conspiracy hatched by the government and the electricity regulatory commission. Since then, power is being purchased at an exorbitant ₹8.12 per unit inflicting the KSEBL with an average daily loss of between ₹10 crore and ₹15 crore. So far, ₹2,000 crore has been lost this way.
A decision was taken to restore the agreement after the opposition brought the alleged conspiracy to light. However, the companies concerned have declined to restore the agreement. When a fresh quotation was invited Adani’s power company had offered to sell power for ₹6.80 per unit.
Power charge was hiked twice in a year to compensate for the loss suffered by the KSEBL owing to the cancellation of the original power purchase agreement.
Mr. Satheeshan alleged the Chief Minister’s office of indulging in corrupt practices by keeping the electricity minister in the dark and foisting the resultant loss on the people. The government has now passed the buck to the regulatory commission.
He wondered whether the two regulatory commission members, one a member of the Left-affiliated trade union and the other the personal assistant of the former electricity member M.M. Mani would would dare to scrap the agreement without the knowledge of the government. If the Commission was above the government why did the same Commission asked the power companies to restore the agreement at the instance of the government.
Mr. Satheeshan said the putting the entire burden from the cancellation of the agreement on the people cannot be accepted. “We will stand with the people to fight the corruption and mismanagement of the government. Those responsible for the cancellation of the agreement and the resultant loss should be found out. Another power charge hike on this count would not be permitted at any cost,” he said.
Mr. Satheeshan said that he will not speak on the party’s organisational matters. “I am not beyond criticism. Anyone can criticise me. If I have erred, I will make course correction. Mr. Satheeshan said that he will not make any statement on organisational matters that will hurt the sentiments of the workers,” he said.
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