Coal news and updates

The state government has decided to auction cement plants, including the one allotted to JP Associate Ltd in Chamba, as per the new mining policy framed by the Centre.

Replying to a query by Asha Kumari and Hans Raj during Question Hour in the Assembly, Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed that the state government will auction the cement plant, including the one in Chamba, as per the new mining rules framed by the Centre.

“The MoU signed with JP Associate Ltd on February 1, 2007 for setting up of a cement plant at Budoh Shind in Churah area of Chamba had been cancelled due to unsatisfactory progress and the state government is now considering auctioning it soon,” he said. He added that JP Associate had decided to withdraw the case from court which will pave the way for auctioning of the plant.

He said there were 16 cement plants in the state, including seven in Solan, five in Sirmaur and two each in Kangra and Bilaspur. Asha insisted that the entire formalities must be completed at the earliest so that the cement plant can come up and people of Chamba can get employment.

Setting up of industrial hubs

The state government has received a sum of Rs 50 crore for the setting up of industrial areas at Kandrori and Pandoga while the process of obtaining the mandatory forest clearances was underway in case of the proposed Dhabota industrial area.

This was stated by the Industry Minister while replying to a query by Krishan Lal Thakur (BJP) on the progress with regard to the coming up of the Dhabota industrial estate during Question Hour in the Assembly today. “The case for diverting 515 bighas of forest land in village Dhabota has been forwarded to the Ministry of Environment and Forest and the approval is still awaited,” said Agnihotri.

The minister also said the Industry Department would be the user agency for the setting up of a bio-technology park at Aduwal. “There has been delay as the land which was earlier in the name of the Department of Science and Technology was transferred in the name of Industry department and NOCs from the panchayat and other departments were being obtained,” he said, adding that the case for diversion of forest land was being prepared.

Supply of LED bulbs

Opposition BJP also accused the Himachal government of providing power saver LED bulbs to consumers at a higher price than available in the open market as the distribution companies were coughing up profits at the cost of the common man.

The issue was raised by BJP legislators Mahender Singh and Ravinder Singh Ravi. Even as Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Power Minister Sujan Singh Pathania maintained that it was a Centrally sponsored scheme in which the procurement, rate fixation and distribution of LED bulbs was being done by the Government of India undertaking Energy Efficiency Services Ltd.

The BJP members remained unsatisfied even as the minister said that neither was the Centre providing money for the scheme nor any other material and only those keen to purchase the LED were being provided the bulbs for which a deduction of Rs 10 is made from the monthly power bill. “My question is that why has one company signed an agreement with another firm and this second firm with a third one if there are no irregularities,” said Mahender.

Source: tribuneindia.com