Lanco eyes hydro projects in Himachal

Lanco Green Power, a Hyderabad-based private group, is planning to bid for 21 hydro projects in Himachal Pradesh.

The company is eyeing projects in the hill state to generate around 1,000 Mw of electricity. Many of the proposed projects will be located in the remote mountains.

"We have already applied to the state government for permission for work on 21 small projects in the hill state," said K D Dinesh, general manager, Lanco.

"Lanco is already building the 70-Mw Budhil project in the Chamba valley," Dinesh said.

"We are looking for around 13 small projects sites in the remote Churah tribal region of Chamba district. Most of these sites will be located 17 to 25 km from the nearest road and without overhead transmission lines," he said.

"Broadly, these projects will cost Rs 2.50 crore," he added.

Referring to the controversy over naming one of the group's subsidiary companies as "Veerbhadra", which sounds suspiciously similar to the chief minister's name, Virbhadra Singh, he said, "The Lanco group has 10 associate companies of which one happens to be named 'Veerbhadra', which was simply a coincidence and has nothing to do with the Himachal chief minister," he said.

"Nursing a grudge against our venture is misplaced," he said.