Sukhvinder Sukhu, Vikramaditya Singh meet people affected by Luhri power project

Ashish Negi

Rampur, May 7

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress candidate from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency Vikramaditya Singh attended a meeting of farmers affected by the Luhri power project organised by the Himachal Kisan Sabha at Nirath in Rampur today. Various demands and problems of the people affected by the project were discussed.

At Nirath, the Chief Minister first paid obeisance at the ancient Surya Narayan Temple and later addressed the people affected by the 210 MW Luhri project. He said that the interests of Himachal would not be allowed to be sold at any cost. Himachal Kisan Sabha secretary and former MLA Rakesh Singha presented an eight-point demand charter to Sukhu.

The Chief Minister said that it was not a fight for power but to save democracy. “The BJP wants to destroy democracy by creating legal hurdles,” he alleged.

He said that the Congress government had saved Rs 2,200 crore in one year by putting an end to corruption and spent the money on the public. He added that 90 per cent of 19 lakh families in Himachal Pradesh live in villages. There was need to think of ways to spend money on the villagers.

Sukhu said that the price of milk was increased by Rs 13 per kg in one go. He added that the government would make continuous efforts to fulfil the reasonable demands of the farmers and the project-affected people. “The payment of royalty from hydropower projects was declined. The Congress Government has challenged the discontinuation of the payment of royalty from the hydropower projects,” he claimed.

He said that he met the Union Power Minister in New Delhi and discussed the issue with him. “If the Himachal Government does not get a stake in the Luhri and Sunni power projects, it will not shy away from taking these over,” he added.

Sukhu said that even 15 months after the Congress formed government in the state, a legal battle was going on over the Luhri and Sunni hydropower projects. Vikramaditya said that the project-affected people were facing various problem and the issue would be discussed with the Chief Minister and taken up at the government level. “In the coming time, after I win the parliamentary elections with the blessings of people, my first priority will be to raise this issue in the Lok Sabha,” he added.

Vikramaditya said that he had raised the issue regarding the Sunni and Luhri power projects in the Assembly many times, both while in power and also in the opposition. “We will discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and make a strategy. I am not against projects as these are needed to create employment opportunities and produce electricity. However, the rights of the people of the area should also be given priority,” he added.

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