BJP alleges major scam in Himachal’s green energy project, demands probe

The BJP has accused the Himachal Pradesh government of a major scam linked to a 32 MW solar power plant inaugurated at Pekhuvela in Una district and demanded an immediate probe. BJP leader and former minister Vikram Singh Thakur alleged financial irregularities in the cost of the project and warned of a major agitation if the government did not take action.

Thakur pointed out significant discrepancies in the cost of the solar power project, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on April 15, 2024. The total cost of the plant was reportedly Rs 220 crore, but Thakur compared it with a similar project in Gujarat, which he claims exposes financial mismanagement. He said Gujarat completed a 35 MW solar power project for Rs 144 crore, while Himachal’s 32 MW project cost Rs 76 crore more despite having less capacity.

Thakur said, “Such a huge difference in cost indicates serious financial irregularities in the Himachal project.” He further said that the company constructing the Gujarat project has committed to a 10-year maintenance plan, while the Pekhuvela project has a maintenance period of only eight years. “In such a situation, the biggest question is how the cost increased so much,” he said.

Thakur also raised concerns over operational issues at the Pekhuvela solar plant and said it was damaged in the recent rainy season and is now operating at only 50% capacity. He warned that at the current rate of Rs 2.90 per unit of electricity, the project will take more than 25 years to recover its cost, while such solar power plants usually have a lifespan of 20 to 25 years.

Thakur further alleged and claimed that the Himachal Pradesh government took a loan of Rs 500 crore for this green energy project. “Four solar power plants could have been built with this amount, but instead the state government has mortgaged the interests of the public and Himachal for private gains,” he alleged.

The BJP has demanded a thorough probe into the matter and threatened to stage massive protests if the government does not take prompt action. The allegations have raised serious questions over transparency and accountability in the state’s green energy initiatives.