The Himachal High Court has passed an important order attaching Himachal Bhawan in Delhi. The court has allowed the power utility to auction Himachal Bhawan to recover the amount of Rs 64 crore. Including interest, the amount is now close to Rs 150 crore. The order, passed by Justice Ajay Mohan Goyal, has left the state government helpless and created an uproar in the secretariat.
A big blow to the government
The decision marks a serious crisis for the Sukuk government in Himachal Pradesh as the court has ordered the power utility to auction Himachal Bhavan not only to recover its funds but also to recover liability of councilors and officials for the initial premium. was raised. The court has ordered the Chief Secretary of Electricity to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the matter to find out who were responsible for not depositing the money on time. The court also stated that interest should be recovered from the relevant responsible persons.
CM Sukhu’s statement comes
Reacting to this, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said that he has not read the high court order but clarified that this advance premium was collected as per a policy formulated during the 2006 energy policy. Suhu said decisions in this regard were taken through arbitration and his government had challenged the decision in the High Court. However, the government did not deposit Rs 64 crore and hence the case is pending before the courts.
Former chief minister questions
Expressing concern over the issue, former state chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said, “The High Court order came on January 13, 2023, but the government did not take it seriously. This It is a very serious issue for Himachal Pradesh and if the situation continues, Himachal Bhawan may be auctioned,” he said, citing delay in payment of Rs 64 crore premium related to Sali hydropower project. The amount has increased to about Rs 150 crore. Jai Ram Thakur warned that if the government does not take the court order seriously, not only Himachal Bhawan but also the secretariat may be put up for auction. It raises questions about the government’s financial policies and decisions.
The next hearing will be held on December 6
The Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered fact-finding to be completed within 15 days and the next hearing will be held on December 6. The court warned the government to pay Rs 64 crore in compensation, indicating that the case requires quick action.
What’s up?
The case relates to the Seli Hydropower Project, which was awarded to Moser Beer Company for a 400 MW hydropower project on the Chenab River in Lahaul Spiti. However, the project could not be implemented and the matter entered arbitration, which resulted in the company’s favor. The arbitrator ordered payment of premium of Rs 64 crore, but the government did not deposit the amount on time, resulting in the amount including interest increasing to about Rs 150 crore. The court has ordered the government to pay the money, but the government has ignored it. Therefore, an order has been made to attach Himachal Bhawan and the auction process can now begin.
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