Jharkhand Vikas Morcha chief Babulal Marandi has questioned the agreement allowing power major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to take over State-run Patratu Thermal Power Station (PTPS). The former Chief Minister was especially critical about alleged devaluation made on the part of the State Government while assessing the assets and properties with the thermal power station.
Addressing Press persons on Wednesday, Marandi said that costly land and assets of the PTPS had been handed over to the NTPC free of cost while the Maharatna company had purchased one acre of land at Rs4 lakh at for its facility at Barhi.
“1800 acres of PTPS land has been given to NTPC for free along with scraps worth crores of rupees. Some of the units there are still operational and generating power. It is equally worrisome that after the takeover, the State would hold just 26 per cent of share and thus loosing its ownership over the plant,” said the JVM supremo who also feared that in this way the plant can even go to private hands later on through the NTPC.
Marandi also charged the Government for undervaluation made for the plant situated at Patratu claiming that consultancy firm Mecon had measured it worth over Rs6000 crore.
“We sense a kind of quid pro quo in the deal as this has been a trend with the Energy Ministers of the State. We demand from the Government to come clean over the matter and demand scraping the agreement. It is not in the interest of the State,” said the leader.