IMPHAL, March 14: The Leimakhong Heavy Fuel Power Plan which now lies defunct is an embarrassment for the State for it was inaugurated by former President of India (L) APJ Abdul Kalam, claimed, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president O Malesh today.
A BJYM team led by its president inspected the 36 MW heavy fuel based power plant in Leimakhong which was inaugurated in the month of April 2002.
Speaking to media persons during the inspection, he said it is unfortunate that a power plan which was a gift from the Centre is lying defunct.
He said the BJYM will submit a detailed report on the Leimakhong Heavy Fuel Power Plant to the concerned Union Minister and will be filing RTI and PIL on the issue at the earliest.
He further demanded the government to bring out a white paper on the issue.
He said it is learnt that the project was sanctioned with an estimated cost of Rs 125.38 lakh in November 1998 and construction began in 1999 when Govindas Konthoujam was the Power miniters.
The project has six units of 6 MW each, he said, adding that the Pollution Control Research Institute of BHEL carried out an environmental impact assessment in association with the Manipur Pollution Control Board and Manipur University. The Union Environment Ministry approved the project after studying the report of the assessment, he added.
The project was executed by the Bharat Heavy Electricals, he added.
He continued in July 1999, tenders were invited from contractors for installation, erection and commissioning of the DG sets, electrical system, storage tanks and illumination and the power plant was scheduled to be commissioned by mid-2000, but was extended till 2002.
He said the plant is lying defunct now, after it was used only once during a matriculate examination.
He continued although the State government had stopped the power plant citing huge fuel consumption, it has failed to look for any alternative to run the six DG sets.
Malesh continued the BJYM is consistently surveying the Central sponsored projects and the Leimakhong Heavy Fuel power Plant is one of them. He claimed his team has also found misutilisation of funds in most projects.
Today’s inspection was also attended by the vice presidents of the BJYM.