Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 28: Amid raging controversy over 100 Mega Watt (MW) Photovoltaic Power Plant at Chann Arrorian in Kathua district approved in favour of M/s Then India Energy Private Limited by the previous National Conference (NC) and Congress Coalition Government, one of the directors of the agency today dismissed the charges leveled by a section of media and said that the project was properly approved.
In a news conference, Adil Khan, who is one of the three directors of the Chennai-based agency, said that the erstwhile Coalition Government’s Science and Technology Department approved the project and then they (executing agency) followed the procedures.
Khan presented the official documents before media that clearly showed that the then Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Science and Technology Department, who happened to be the Chairman Project Approval Committee, approved the project in favour of M/s Then India Energy Private Limited, Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 950 crore at 300 acres of land while as the incumbent coalition of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) accelerated the process for execution of the project as under the Central Government’s Solar Power Policy, 2013, the solar power projects had to be made functional within a period of three to six months.
The Director said that the then Government, however, didn’t follow the project, as result of which it remained pending till the new PDP-BJP Government took over. The new Government has taken keen interest in the project, he added.
The Director said that the Power Development Department was a facilitator for issuing consent letter and signing power purchase agreement with the developer and had no other role in the Solar Power Project.
Khan said the agency is suffering due to ongoing controversy. “It is we who are suffering due to fight between bureaucrats and politicians. Is it because I am a Kashmiri and I am being cornered?” he asked.
The Director said there was no need for tendering or biding as the land was his own. “Why should the Government issue tenders when the land is my own. Establishing solar plant is like I am doing farming. It is my land,” Khan asserted.
Khan claimed that he is not affiliated with any political party and is neither clarifying on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh.
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