The public sector power biggie National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is yet groping in dark to have coal-linkage water and land in Madhya Pradesh for its ambitious projects in the state’s Gadarwara and Tikamgarh districts.
The company had last year inked deal with the state government to seek facilitation for the two projects in Madhya Pradesh.
It has also changed its site for Gadarwara plant twice from Jhikauli to Sansarkhera and recently located Bangai village for its thermal power project.
The company is planning to set up 1980-Mw power plant at Barethi in Tikamgarh district and 2640 Mw thermal power project in Gadarwara district.
“We are actually awaiting coal ministry’s nod for linkage, only after that we will move ahead for land acquisition etc. The water availability is also an issue in Tikamgarh district, but everything will speed up after coal-linkage,” said a source in NTPC.
Reportedly, the company has moved ahead in Barethi and also had discussions with locals in Gadarwara district for section 4 of the land acquisition Act. “People of Bangai village are ready to surrender their land for the project. The company has enough water from nearby Narmada river,” Sadhna Sthapak, local MLA of Gadarwara constituency told Business Standard.
The company, according to a government official, has initiated some process for land acquisition in Barethi also. “They can lift water from Betwa river for their project, we also have various options for land for them,” said the official.
Madhya Pradesh needs at least 2500 Mw of power by 2013 to fulfil the promise of state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to make power available round-the-clock for all category consumers.
At present the demand is 7,500 Mw during peak hours and supply is restricted at 5,500 Mw by all sources including thermal and hydel power generation plants.
