Yamunanagar: Public hearing for expansion of thermal plant postponed

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yamunanagar, April 2

The district administration has postponed the public hearing for expansion of the existing 600 MW coal-based thermal unit by installing a new 800 MW ultra-supercritical unit at Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar. The public hearing was postponed due to the announcement of Lok Sabha elections and it may cause a delay in the start of construction work of the unit.The ultra-supercritical unit is to be set up by Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited.

According to information, the hearing was to be conducted by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB). But, the Yamunanagar Deputy Commissioner Captain Manoj Kumar wrote to the HSPCB authorities, informing them that the public hearing was proposed to be held on April 2 for expansion of the existing 2X300 MW coal-based thermal unit by installing a new 1X800 MW ultra supercritical unit at DCRTPP. As per the DC’s letter, the proposed public hearing was postponed due to the model code of conduct for the General Elections.

The first unit of 300 MW of this thermal plant was commissioned in April, 2008. According to information, land of 15 villages — Rattanpura, Kaimpura, Isharpur, Darwa, Lapra, Mehmudpur, Mandoli, Dussani, Pansara, Mandi, Fatehpur, Kalanaur, Rampur Majra, Behrampur and Naya Gaon — had been acquired years ago to set up a thermal plant.

“Today, a public hearing was to be conducted at the premises of the thermal plant here, but it was postponed due to the model code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections. Now, a fresh date will be fixed for the public hearing after the elections,” said Virender Singh Punia, Regional Officer of Yamunanagar HSPCB.