The Central high-powered committee has reduced Himachal’s arrear claim in BBMB projects from Rs 4,250 crore to Rs 3,400 crore. However, the state has declined to accept the reduced amount and has made up its mind to seek Supreme Court (SC) intervention so that it gets its entire due.
The state conveyed its displeasure over the move before Chairman of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) AB Aggarwal, who met Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy, here today and said
“The reduction of the arrear claim after the Supreme Court order is an afterthought which we will not accept and after receiving the ratification amount we will consult legal experts and move our case before the SC,”
It is the high-powered committee headed by Joint Secretary, Hydropower, which has conveyed to Himachal that the amount of Rs 4,250 crore has been reduced to Rs 3,400 crore. The Chairman of the BBMB and the Member Secretary, Central Electricity Regulatory Authority, are its other members. Officials said the figure of Rs 850 crore was a notional amount arrived at by the central committee as due that the state owed to the Centre as its share in the Pong Dam.
However, Himachal Govt will consult legal experts and weighing an option of SC intervention in the matter.
