New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) constituted inter-ministerial teams for on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by natural disasters and relief work carried out by the Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand administrations. Besides, the teams also inspected the hydro projects operated by central and state PSUs because heavy rains led to high silt deposition which resulted in the temporary shutdown of a number of hydro projects.
"Several hydropower projects under operation by central and State PSUs were temporarily shut down due to heavy rains and high silt deposition. In addition, some private sector projects were also closed," said Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy R K Singh in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
According to government estimates, a total of Rs 127.29 crore of revenue was lost following the temporary closure of 23 central and state PSUs operating in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. All the closures took place between July 8 and July 21 this year. Amongst all, the highest revenue loss of Rs 35.45 crore was registered by Himachal Pradesh-based 520 MW Parbati III hydropower project. Similarly, six private-sector hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand registered a loss of Rs 36.78 crore between July 9 and 17.
Also read: MHA refers Manipur video case to CBI, seeks trial outside state
Singh said that on July 14, Home Ministry set up inter-ministerial central teams for on-the-spot inspections of hydropower projects as well as the status of relief work carried out in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand by the respective state administrations. "The teams were led by MHA and included representatives from the ministries, department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Finance (department of expenditure), Jal Shakti (department of water resources), Power, Road Transport and Highways, Rural Development and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)," Singh added.
