Power project 145;scam146;: Centre rejects U146;khand request for CBI probe

Additional Secretary Irrigation Ajay Singh Nabiyal has said since the Union Government has turned down the request, the state Government will hold its own high-level inquiry into the allegations.

The project hanging fire for the past two decades and restarted by the Uttarakhand Government, was to be completed in October 2005 but was delayed leading to cost escalations. Initially estimated to cost Rs 300 crore, the project has already seen Rs 2000 crore being spent on it.

Chief Minister Maj Gen B C Khanduri retd had announced to commission the project on November 9, 2007 but due to technical snags it was postponed indefinitely.

After the worst power crisis hit the state this month, officials claimed that the first unit of the project would be commissioned by January 15 that would ease the power situation. But even that did not materialise.

Uttarakhand, considered to be a power surplus state, has been facing the worst power crisis since it came into being, following shutdown of ONGC platform without any prior notice resulting in closure of gas-based plants and acute power shortage during peak winter days. The entire state has been facing 6 to 10 hours of power cut almost daily.