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Seek ED Probe into Pekhubela Power Project if You Suspect Irregularities, Sukhu Challenges BJP
Shimla, Updated At : 09:16 AM Aug 26, 2025 IST
Responding to allegations of irregularities raised by Jaswan-Pragpur MLA Bikram Singh Thakur, Sukhu said, “The CBI is already investigating the death of HPPCL’s Chief Engineer Vimal Negi. If the Opposition believes there is corruption in the power project, they are free to demand an ED probe.”
Earlier, raising the issue under Rule 63 during a discussion on the Green Revolution, Bikram Singh said the 32 MW project was envisioned to boost agriculture through irrigation schemes. However, he claimed that due to poor engineering and substandard design, the project was submerged after heavy rains and power generation fell to almost zero. “The project was not built at the required height, which is why it got flooded. All inverters and other equipment have stopped working,” he alleged.
He further claimed that the company executing the project was unduly favored. “The firm was awarded an eight-year contract for operations and maintenance, but despite receiving 99 percent of the payment, it disappeared. The DPR (Detailed Project Report) was revised multiple times just to benefit the company,” he said.
The Chief Minister rejected these allegations outright, clarifying that the project had not been “submerged” as alleged. “When there is heavy rainfall, water can seep in anywhere. The project was temporarily halted due to rains but will resume operations from September 15,” he said.
Sukhu added that all pending payments to the company, including its performance bank guarantee, have been withheld, and Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) has now taken over the project’s operation. He stressed that the project’s DPR was prepared by a central government undertaking, dismissing any charges of bias or irregularity.
Taking a jibe at the Opposition MLA, Sukhu remarked, “It seems Bikram Singh has developed an unfounded fear of the Pekhubela project.”
