Himachal chief minister P K Dhumal on Monday blamed the opposition Congress for allowing the Jaypee group to build a cement plant in the state in violation of rules.
“The Congress signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Jaipraksh Associates Ltd (JAL) in July 2004 to set up a plant at Bagheri in Solan district . The MoU was signed in a hurry without following proper procedures,” said Dhumal here.
“The Congress was so eager to please the Jaypee Group that the MoU document doesn’t even mention the land where the cement plant was to be set up,” Dhumal said .
“The Congress deliberately underestimated the project cost at Rs 90 crore . Later, this cost went up to Rs 400 crore, hence the hefty fine of Rs 100 crore was slapped on JAL by the court,” Dhumal alleged.
The Congress, over the weekend, asked the ruling Dhumal-led BJP government to resign in view of the judgement.
The Congress alleged that the BJP had no right to stay in power as the ruling had indicted the present government for favouring the Jaypee group.
In a major judgement delivered on Friday, JAL (part of Jaypee group) was imposed Rs 100 crore damages by the Himachal High Court for violating the law to set up a cement plant at Bagheri .
The court also penalised the company for making false pleas before the state government and to the court in this matter.
The court also ordered cancellation of the 62 mw thermal plant (also in Solan district) to the Jaypee group and dismantle it within three months.
The landmark order came after a green NGO filed a public interest litigation.
The court said the company managed to get permission to set up the palnt without the environment impact assessment clearance.
