Power woes: INLD workers gherao Khedar plant
Raman Mohan/TNS

Hisar, July 4
INLD supporters today staged a demonstration outside the Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant at Khedar village, near here. The demonstrators also gheraoed the plant.

Addressing the demonstrators, INLD secretary-general Ajay Singh Chautala alleged that the Hooda government had squandered away Rs 17,000 crores on establishing the thermal power plants at Khedar, Jhajjar and Yamunanagar but none of these plants was actually working because of sub-standard machinery imported from China installed by private companies.

He said the Khedar plant was inaugurated even before the plant was properly connected by rail for bringing coal and water for generating steam. This was done to benefit the private company entrusted with setting up the plant at a cost of around Rs 5,000 crore.

Warning the Hooda government of a statewide stir if the power situation did not improve soon, Chautala said a government that could not arrange adequate supply of water and power had no right to continue in office.

Meanwhile, the state continues to reel under massive power cuts.

Official sources said a delayed monsoon and ongoing paddy sowing had worsened the power position, with the daily shortfall touching 400 lakh units.

With the forced closure of four thermal units, coupled with tripping of two units, the state’s own generation is around 1,776 MW. The power supplied in the state is 1,268 lakh units.