Private sector Shree Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation (SMHPC) on Thursday blamed Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) over inflation of costs and delay in taking off its hydro power project in Madhya Pradesh.
SMHPC is a private sector 400 MW run-off-the-river project on the river Narmada, located at Mandleshwar in Khargone district.
“It is only because of the wrong tactics adopted by the NBA that the cost of the Maheshwar Hydel Power Project doubled up from Rs 2000 crore to Rs 4000 crore,” the company Vice-Chairman Mukul Kasliawal said during an interaction with journalists.
NBA did not want any development to take place and had spurned all offers made by us in rehabilitating, he said.
“Time has come to find out who is financing the NBA and who is behind its move to delay construction of the Maheshwar power project,” Kasliwal said, adding had the NBA not created hurdles, the project which was started 18 years ago would have been completed a long time ago.
“The NBA now exists only in the press note it issues regularly in New Delhi and sometimes in Bhopal,” Kasliwal said.
When asked about why the company did not counter the NBA earlier, he said, “It was our job to complete the project and not react to all the trash that the NBA is in the habit of saying”.
Tags: Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation, Maheshwar Power Project, Mandleshwar in Khargone district, Narmada Bachao Andolan