Kudgi plant delay: Opposition angry

Belagavi: The government's continued delay in implementation of super thermal power project at Kudgi has come under severe criticism from leaders of opposition in the state. Former minister Govind Karjol has said the state has been unable to generate power on its own to meet its needs due to government's policies which have delayed the works on Kudgi power plant.

Blaming the state government for the worsening power crisis, Mr Karjol said in a press conference in Vijayapura that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had put people of entire state into darkness without taking measures to expedite the Kudgi project. He recalled the serious steps taken by previous BJP government to speed up Kudgi project and said his government had released huge funds to the project during its term.

A dry region deprived of developmental works, Vijayapura would be able to see most of its irrigation projects getting implemented once the thermal project got over. “For its implementation, the Centre released Rs 20,000 crore already. The project would have completed and power from it distributed by now had the government initiated timely measures for its implementation,” said Mr Karjol regretting the government's failure to initiate measures for its speedy work.

To get 133-acre of land allotted to Kudgi plant, the government has already paid the required amount to Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB). Authorities of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), who asked the government repeatedly for allotment of another 39-acre of land at Kudgi for laying a railway line to the project site for the past several months have been unable to get any response, said Karjol. Without a direct railway line, it was difficult to supply bigger machinery and instruments to the project site from other places, he added.

Urging the government to speed up the process of allotment of lands to the plant, the BJP leader said, the government should respond timely to NTPC's requirements to get the project implemented smoothly. He said the supply of heavy goods needed at the site was possible only when a rail line was made available. The work on Kudgi plant got hampered on several occasions in the past due to various reasons.

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