Himachal is rightful owner of Shanan power project: Ex-CM

Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar today said that Himachal Pradesh was the rightful owner of the Shanan power project located at Jogindernagar in Mandi district and it was the responsibility of the Central Government to get it back to the state as its lease agreement had expired in March last year. He added that the Central Government should immediately initiate steps for the transfer of the project to Himachal.

Shanta Kumar, while addressing mediapersons here, said that as per the provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, after the expiry of the lease agreement in March 2024, the Himachal Pradesh Government became the rightful owner of the Shanan power project. He added that there was a historical oversight during the 1966 reorganisation of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana when Punjab was allowed to retain the project located in Mandi.

He said that though the Punjab Reorganisation Act stipulated an equitable distribution of resources, Himachal Pradesh was yet to receive its fair share of assets from Chandigarh and in various power projects. He added that the Act clearly intended the redistribution of Punjab’s properties to newly formed Himachal yet the Shanan power project remained an exception. Though the project was situated in Himachal, its overall control was still with Punjab.

Shanta Kumar said, “To prolong the issue, the Punjab Government unilaterally approached the Supreme Court. The Himachal Government had fought a long legal battle to get its due share in the BBMB projects and now it was fighting to get back the Shanan project. Prime Minister Narendera Modi should intervene to safeguard the interests of Himachal Pradesh.”

Shanta Kumar said when he was the Chief Minister of the state, he had raised all these issues with then Prime Minister Morarji Desai in 1977. He appreciated Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for his efforts and fighting a legal battle in the Supreme Court by engaging top lawyers. He added that since Himachal Pradesh was a small state having only four MPs in the Lok Sabha, its voice goes unheard.