Shimla May, 13: Health and Revenue Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, while participating in the meeting of Northern Zonal Council (NZC) held at Chandigarh, today reiterated Himachal Pradesh’s demand that the Centre should provide 7.19 per cent power in all Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) projects keeping in view the ratio of its population.
The state has also demanded that arrears claims against Punjab and Haryana be calculated as per inter-state energy settlement rate. He said the state had repeatedly been requesting for 7.19 per cent power in all BBMB projects but to no avail. Punjab and Haryana had calculated Hiamchal’s share at the National Fertilizers Limited rates, which was unfair.
It should be charged as per inter-state energy settlement rate, he said.He urged the Union Home Minister, who is also the chairman of the zonal council, to convene a meeting with the Union Minister of Power and the Chief Ministers of the states concerned so that Himachal Pradesh could get its legitimate share as endorsed by the Supreme Court of India without any further delay.
Thakur also requested the Union Government for funds for construction of hydro power plant at Renukaji Dam on the 90:10 Centre state sharing basis as this project was of national importance and the state was making immense sacrifice by way of displacement of large population.
Thakur demanded that the powers of diversion of forest land for development activities should be enhanced up to five hectares so that the developmental works in the state did not suffer for want of forest clearances.He said a joint strategy should be evolved by the neighbouring states to tackle the menace of drugs and alcohol.
Thakur also underlined the need to resolve inter-state boundary disputes at the earliest. He mentioned that Himachal had an unpleasant experience of police from Jammu and Kashmir entering 15-km inside its territory in Lahaul-Spiti district claiming it as theirs. The ITBP forces patrolling the boundaries between the two states had been withdrawn in the recent past which should be redeployed to prevent any untoward incident.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the meeting which was attended by the chief ministers and ministers of northern region besides senior officers of the Government of India and states.
Source Tribune India
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