Government gives nod to set up solar plant in Mansa

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, May 17

Thirteen years after 871 acres of land was acquired by the then government for setting up a thermal power plant at Gobindpura village in Mansa district, the AAP government today gave permission to set up a solar power plant there.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Jalandhar today.

Firm granted permission

We have decided to allow the firm to use the land for setting up a solar or any other renewable energy power plant. The state power utilities will buy electricity produced by the company if it sets up a plant there. — Harbhajan Singh ETO, Power minister

The company for which the land was acquired — Poena Power Development Limited — has been granted permission to change the project from thermal to renewable energy, including solar power generation.

Earlier, the company filed a petition in a court seeking change in the land use. The land was acquired in year 2010 at the cost of Rs 187 crore for setting up a 1320 MW capacity thermal power plant. Residents of Gobindpura had protested against the land acquisition, which continued for nearly 17 months.

Though the land was finally acquired, compensation paid to owners and one member of each displaced families was given a government job, the project remained in limbo since 2010. One of the main reasons for the thermal power plant not taking off was the failure to get coal linkages.

Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO said the company, which acquired the land, was looking at using it for a different purpose.

Meanwhile, Gurlal Singh, sarpanch of Gobindpura village, said some of their demands were still pending.