Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: With Punjab witnessing unscheduled and lengthy energy cuts due to coal scarcity and the AAP authorities making an attempt to work out the best way to ship 300 models of free energy, now a brand new political storm has erupted within the state because the Opposition Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged that Delhi Chief Minister and National Convenor of AAP Arvind Kejriwal held a gathering with officers of the Punjab authorities over the ability problem, asking in what capability he did so.
They alleged that Kejriwal held the assembly with Punjab authorities officers on Monday within the absence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. Mann on Tuesday reportedly met Kejriwal to debate the modalities of giving 300 models of free energy to individuals.
The Shiromani Akali Dal has reacted strongly to the alleged assembly of Punjab energy officers with Kejriwal. The social gathering requested Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to safeguard the pursuits of Punjab and make sure the state is just not topic to distant management rule by the AAP authorities in Delhi or taken over by the Centre. Senior SAD chief Dr Daljit Singh Cheema mentioned as an alternative of tackling the true problems with Punjab, the AAP authorities was making an attempt to obfuscate by diverting the eye of the individuals.
Cheema mentioned Punjabis have been shocked that Kejriwal was holding conferences with the Punjab chief secretary and PSPCL Chairman. “The apprehension in the minds of people that the Punjab government would be run by remote from Delhi under AAP rule is proving to be true,” he mentioned. Asking Bhagwant Mann to make clear the state of affairs instantly, Cheema mentioned the style wherein the Delhi Chief Minister was using roughshod over constitutional norms had made Punjabis insecure. “Punjabis rightfully fear that the officers of Punjab could be browbeaten to sign away the rights of the state on important issues like river waters. Mann should understand that he has been elected to office in Punjab and he alone should hold the required meetings and not give this right to the Delhi Chief Minister.”
Punjab Congress President Amrinder Singh Raja Warring in a collection of tweets hit out on the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP supremo Arvind Kejiriwal. He tweeted, “Will Punjab be puppeteered by Delhi people, in what capacity and on which issue was this meeting held..CM Sahib make it public.”
“CS Anirudh Tewari, Secy Power Dalip Kumar, Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal ,MP @raghav_chadha Delhi Minister Satyender Jain, Chairman PSPCL Baldev singh Saran hv held official meeting in the absence of CM BHAGWANT MANN @BhagwantMann and Power Minister Harbhjan Singh,” he wrote in one other tweet.
He additionally questioned whether or not senior officers of Punjab need to mark their attendance within the ‘Darbar’ of Kejriwal and if the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is just CM of Punjab in identify.
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited is already underneath monetary pressure and the state authorities should work out methods to not overstrain the state energy utility. It is learnt that free energy is to be given to 73.39 lakh shoppers and the price of giving free energy to all is estimated at round Rs 1,300 crore per 30 days. As already the state authorities provides free energy to agriculture shoppers, and a few models of free energy to socially and economically deprived sections moreover business additionally will get subsidy, the overall energy subsidy got here to Rs 12,000 crore for this fiscal.
Meanwhile, the ability state of affairs stays grim within the state as 4 thermal models remained shut, inflicting a lack of 1,410 MW. As two models of GVK thermal plant are shut due to coal scarcity, one unit of Talwandi Sabo Power Limited at Mansa is shut due to a technical snag and one other unit of Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant at Ropar is shut for annual upkeep. But officers within the PSPCL preserve that there isn’t a scarcity, despite an enormous surge in demand.
In a tweet, Navjot Sidhu mentioned, “Punjab’s IAS officers summoned by Arvind Kejriwal in CM Bhagwant Mann’s absence. This exposes the Defacto CM & Delhi remote control. Clear breach of federalism, insult to Punjabi pride. Both must clarify.”
