Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday lashed out at the State Electricity Board for delay in setting up electricity transmissions lines in border districts of Kinnaur and lahaul and Spiti project. He was speaking in the Assembly on the last day of the Monsoon Session during a discussion.
Intervening in the discussions on poor quality of work done for laying transmission line from Karcham- Wangtu to Kaza and delay of 16 years in completion of the project, the Chief Minister said. “At a time when the project was conceived the engineer heading the project is now chairman of the electricity board but still not much progress has been made in laying of the transmission lines.”
“I forsee the delay, as party due to natural calamity but more of it is an inefficiency of electricity board and I intend to hold an inquiry into the delay and cost escalation of the project,” said the chief minister adding that he is not satisfied by the answer of state electricity board and indeed delay has taken place in the execution of the project.. The project was conceived first in 1997 and 66KV/22KV lines were to be laid between Karcham to Kaza a distance of over 150 kilometer which would have provided to far-flung areas of lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur district.
The issue was raised by deputy speaker Jagat Singh Negi while speaking on the problems on Kinnaur and lahaul and Spiti. He said that since 1997 several state government have been formed and in 16 years, state electricity board has spend around Rs. 50 crore but still the project of laying transmission line is far from complete.