lok Sabha member from Haridwar, head of the lok Sabha assurance committee and former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in the lok Sabha on Thursday sought information about all the hydro-electric projects across the nation. The BJP MP further said that a proper survey should be conducted of the entire Himalayan region, locations should be identified for construction of various projects at the panchayat level.
The local residents should be provided monetary assistance and steps should also be taken to ensure their participation in such projects. In a statement issued by Nishank’s office, the MP was stated as advocating an effective and clear policy for the generation of hydro electric power across the nation. He also asked of the renewable energy minister as to how much had the power generation capacity in India been evaluated. Seeking information about ongoing schemes, the MP stated that Digital India, Make in India and other such developmental programmes cannot succeed as desired until adequate supply of power is ensured. The power minister’s reply to Nishank’s queries stated that at present 45 hydro power projects are under construction in the nation. At present, schemes with total capacity of 13,502 MW are under construction while 15 hydro power projects are affected by factors like financial, inter-state disputes, court proceedings and environmental issues.