In a significant legal development, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the attachment of Himachal Bhawan in New Delhi’s Sikandra Road due to the state government’s failure to return Rs 64 crore paid as an upfront premium to Seli Hydro Company. The payment was made by the company in 2009 for the allotment of a 320 MW hydropower project in the tribal district of Lahaul Spiti.
The court’s order was passed by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, who stated that the Himachal government had failed to return the Rs 64 crore, which was paid for the hydropower project. The government has now been directed to refund the amount along with 7% interest from the date of the petition filed by the power company.
The court also ordered the Secretary (Power) to conduct an inquiry within the next 15 days to identify the officials responsible for the failure to refund the money. In a further step towards accountability, the court has instructed that the interest amount may be recovered from the officials personally responsible for the delay.
The Rs 64 crore upfront premium was part of the agreement made on February 28, 2009, when the state government allotted the 320 MW hydel project to Seli Hydro Company in Lahaul Spiti. The state had also assigned the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) with the task of constructing the road to the project site. According to the terms of the agreement, the state government was responsible for providing the necessary infrastructure to support the project’s development.
The case has now been listed for further hearings on December 6, 2024. The legal proceedings have placed significant pressure on the Himachal government to resolve the matter swiftly and ensure the payment is made as per the court’s directions.
This ruling highlights ongoing issues of accountability within state government processes, especially in relation to large-scale infrastructure projects.
এনেধৰণৰ অন্যান্য বা-বাতৰিৰ বাবে লাইক কৰক অসম লাইভ ২৪ ৰ ফেচবুক পেজ
