CM’s word on solar power plants in Jhajjar not kept

Ravinder Saini

The state government is focusing on generation of solar energy to address  chronic power shortage but solar power plants in Dhandhlan, Kaloi and Badsha villages of Jhajjar district that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced two years ago are yet to be established. Though one of the villages has offered land for the project, the authorities concerned are yet to take action in this direction. 

The Chief Minister, during a visit to Jhajjar in November 2016, had announced that solar power plants of 2 megawatt each would be set up in the three villages to address the problem of power shortage. The gram panchayats of these villages were to lease land for the purpose.

Sources say the capacity of the plants was later enhanced to 11 MW and the gram panchayats were asked to provide land through the district administration so that the work could be initiated.  “Three months after the Chief Minister’s announcement, we passed a resolution to lease 46 acres for the plant. The resolution was sent to the district authorities in February 2017 but nothing has been done in the past two years,” says Virender, sarpanch of Dhandhlan village.

He says that Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) was to set up the plant by entering into a lease agreement with the Dhandhlan gram panchayat for using the land. “We have been eagerly waiting for the HPGCL’s response in this regard,” the sarpanch adds.

Sandeep, husband of Kaloi village sarpanch Manju, says since the work of land consolidation (chakbandi) was under way in the village, the gram panchayat could not lease land until the process was complete. The Deputy Commissioner has been urged to expedite the process, he adds.

Sources say the issue of delay in accomplishing the Chief Minister’s announcement was discussed at a meeting held under the chairmanship of TC Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, in Chandigarh recently. Officials concerned shared information regarding the availability of land and the progress over other aspects of the projects. 

Sandeep Jain, Superintending Engineer, UHBVN, says the case of Dhandhlan and Badhsa villages has been transferred to the HPGCL for establishing solar plants. 

“The HPGCL will provide technical help to the Badhsa gram panchayat for establishing a solar plant and the District Development and Panchayat Officer has been asked to ensure a tender is floated before February 25. In the case of Dhandhlan village, it has been decided that the district authorities will ensure the required land is leased in favour of the HPGCL to pave the way for setting up the plant there,” says Jain. He adds that the project seems to be unfeasible in Kaloi village due to non-availability of land. The UHBVN has also written to the authorities concerned for declaring the project in Kaloi village as non-feasible. However, the district administration is still making efforts to explore ways to execute the project in Kaloi village if the required land is made available, he adds.