Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has announced the Punjab government will buy Goindwal thermal plant. He said the government has coal stored only for 45 more days.

Mann said the remaining coal will be used in Goindwal thermal plant which will lead to cheaper source of electricity. Makind a veiled attack on the BJP, Mann said some governments sell state assets but the AAP government buys private assets.

Earlier Mann had said there was a requirement of 1000 mega-watt electricity for cultivation of paddy. The Indian Meteorogical Department (IMD) has stated there will be less rainfall this year in Punjab, hence, there will be greater dependency on electricity for agriculture.

Mann had even written a letter to Union Power Minister R K Singh stating about the shortage of electricity in the state. If there is less rainfall then the cultivation of paddy will get affected.   Although, the Union government has not responded to the problem of Punjab yet.

Mann said Goindwal Power plant is being bought on a private basis hence tender will be floated among the bidders for the plant. The Goindwal Power plant is on the verge of bankruptcy. He said the plant will be bought and will be made operational again. The power plant has a capacity of 540 mega-watt. Reports said, this will not have any impact on the present electricity production in the state.

An agreement will be made between the Punjab State Power Corporation and the bidder who wins the tender.

A cabinet panel will be called for the bidding to take place. According to reports, about 12 parties have come forward to buy the Thermal Power Plant. PSPCL is one of the twelve parties bidding for the Goindwal thermal power plant.

Punjab Power Minister Harbajan Singh ETO, Finance Minister Harpal Cheema and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian will part of the Cabinet to carry out the bidding process.

The Bombay High Court issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed raising the issue regarding erection of Solar Panels and Power Generation in the Eco-Sensitive Zone, Gautala – Autramghat Wildlife Sanctuary. The power generation activity is actually carried out inside the Sanctuary, as well.

The Aurangabad Division Bench of Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Sanjay A. Deshmukh noted from the resolution dated 07/02/2018, passed by the Monitoring Committee for the Eco-sensitive Zone in the Gautala Autram Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary that the permission for operating the Solar Farm, is granted to Respondent No.17 (Private Limited Company). However, the said entity, which should have restricted its activity to 300 Acres, has spread Solar Farms over 1070 Acres, approximately. This area is occupied by Respondent Nos.17 as well as Respondent No.18, when the latter does not even have the requisite permission. Both these entities do not have the Wildlife Clearance Certificate, Environmental Clearance Certificate or Forest Clearance Certificate.

The Monitoring Committee, though comprises of 13 members, only 5 members sat in the meeting dated 07/02/2018 and passed an illegal Resolution.

The Court directed the District Collector of Aurangabad as well as the District Collector of Jalgaon, to prepare independent confidential reports as regards the fact situation, in the light of the contentions of the Petitioners set out in the petition and tender the reports in English and Marathi languages, in a sealed cover, in the Court on the next date.

“The report must indicate, as to which are the necessary clearances, that are mandatorily required to be obtained by Respondent Nos.17 and 18, before laying the Solar Farms. The report would also indicate the total land permitted to be used to these two entities and the actual land presently under Solar Farming. The report would also indicate, as to whether there is any encroachment by these Companies”, the Bench further directed.