Notices to Centre, others over British-era hydro project in HP

Shimla, Nov 7 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the Union government and the states of Punjab and Haryana on a petition to demand handing over of a British-era hydroelectric project, generating a revenue of Rs 100 crore annually, to the hill state.The country’s first hydroelectric project is presently under the control of the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL).The 110-MW Shanan hydroelectric project in Jogindernagar in Mandi district has been a subject matter of a public outcry as area people say it is located in the state and using the state’s water for generating power, officials told IANS.Hearing the petition of Laxmender Singh of Mandi district, a Division Bench of Chief Justice L Narayana Swamy and Justice Anoop Chitkara directed the respondents to file replies within four weeks.The petitioner said that the then British government had proposed the project to supply electricity to Punjab. An agreement was executed between the then government of India and the then Mandi ruler for the construction of Uhl river hydroelectric project.It was agreed that the Mandi state will provide the land and water of the Uhl river, in lieu of which the state will get 500 KW free electricity.He said that Himachal is a small state with limited income sources while the the project’s revenue is more than Rs 100 crore per year. If the project is handed over to Himachal Pradesh and its general public, it will strengthen the state economy, the petitioner added.The project originally was of 48 MW capacity, but the Punjab government enhanced its capacity to 60 MW in 1982. Later, 50 MW more was added to make its capacity 110 MW.The petition prayed for the quashing of agreements and notifications relating to the project by the government of India.The power station, commissioned in 1932, was built under a lease of 99 years executed between then Mandi ruler Joginder Sen and British engineer Col BC Batty in 1925.During the reorganisation of the states in November 1966, the Shanan power station went to Punjab as the 99-year lease deed was between the Mandi ruler and the British government.After the expiry of the 99-year-lease agreement in 2024, the project will be handed over to Himachal Pradesh.–IANSvg/tsb