With NHPC claiming nearly Rs 75 crore as liabilities of its work on the 420-Mw Lakhwar-Vyasi multipurpose hydel project on the Yamuna near Dakpathar, 50 km from here, the Uttarakhand government has sought the Centre’s intervention in the matter, saying it was ready to pay only Rs 43.184 crore of the claimed amount.
In the 1970s, the dam’s cost was estimated at around Rs 141 crore. It has now zoomed up to Rs 4,000 crore with the state government awarding the project to Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL) last year.
The real worry before the UJVNL is the project’s liabilities, as various works were carried out in the past by different players like NHPC and Jaypee group.
According to the new annual report (2008-09) of the state irrigation department, an amount of Rs 247.64 crore has already been spent on the project, which is still to see the light of the day.
Power Principal Secretary Shatrughan Singh confirmed that he had written a letter to Union Power Secretary H S Brahma saying that Uttarakhand was ready to pay Rs 43.184 crore as per the audited figure.