Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SB)

Udupi, Jul 28: It has come to light that there has been a serious irregularity in the implementation of Udupi Power Corporation project (formerly Nagarjuna Thermal Power Project) at Nandikoor in Padubidri through information sought using Right to Information (RTI) Act, said Nandikoor Janajagruti Samiti honorary president Balakrishna Shetty.

In a press release Shetty alleged that the company without seeking permission to produce 1,015 mega watt (MW) of power has taken up project to produce 1,500 MW of power. As part of the first phase of the project, old equipment from China has been imported to produce 1,200 MW of power, he further alleged and added that a copy of no-objection certificate issued by the state government to produce 1,500 MW of power too has been obtained under RTI Act.

Though LANCO has abandoned the project of producing 1,015 MW of power in 2006, it is going ahead with the 1,200 MW project without any due permission, he alleged. According to information received by BHEL, Nagarjuna company had entered into an agreement with BHEL for project implementation and power supply. However, now the company has struck a deal with Dongfang Electric Corporation of China, which has seen failures in many projects before and its equipment is capable of controlling pollution only to the extent of 21 per cent, he alleged.

Further Shetty alleged that though the Nagarjuna company is making profit of Rs 1 crore per MW by buying the equipment from the Chinese company, it is refusing to transfer the benefit to the state government. Instead the company has placed a demand for Rs 550 crore in front of the government, which will prove burdensome to the people of the state, he alleged in the release.