Hydro projects not depositing area development fund: Congress MLA

Dharamsala, November 13

Kewal Singh Pathania, Congress MLA from Shahpur, has alleged that seven hydroelectric projects located in Dharkandi area of the Shahpur constituency, were not depositing the Local Area Development Fund (LADF), though these projects were producing power worth Rs 29 crore annually.

As per the rules, they should deposit Rs 50 lakh annually under the LADF. Pathania said Dharkandi was the remotest area of Shahpur constituency and lacked basic infrastructure such as roads and other basic facilities. “The locals have informed me that the area witnesses landslides due to the power projects. I will take up the issue with CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu,” he said.

He claimed that this was the first time that people in the remote Dharkandi region saw an MLA walk from village to village through the tough terrain to learn of their problems. “I took the lead and covered a distance of 25 km on foot in the last two days and heard the problems of the people with a commitment to solve them at the earliest,” he said.

He walked to Moba, Langa, Paulun, Palotha, Sukhughat, Chamiara and Dulli areas in Dharkandi and reviewed the development works there.