Environmentalists blocks hydro electric projects - Minister

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 09:51

Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed has said that environmentalists in the State are blocking hydro-electric projects that were given sanction several times by the Union government by going for litigation. Inaugurating a 33 kV substation of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) at Pallasana  on 06-09-2011, the Minister said that though the Athirappilly project was given sanction by the Centre, it could not be implemented due to litigation by environmental groups. They should consider the benefit from hydel projects and should not unnecessarily sensationalise and inflate the small environmental problems, he said.

The Minister said the State was facing acute shortage of power. It was producing only 41 per cent of its needs and the rest was being bought from other States with Central assistance. Minister also said that electricity is the cheapest commodity available in the State.The Minister said the power tariff in the State had not been increased since 2003. He described the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) as a “charitable society which buys power at Rs. 4 a unit and sells it to the people at Rs.3.38.” "The KSEB is incurring huge loss. So we have to increase our power production," he said.

V. Chenthamarakshan, MLA, presided over the function. K. Achuthan, MLA, K.A. Chandran, former MLA, block panchayat president P. Geetha, grama panchayat president Shantha Kumar, and district panchayat member C. Valsala spoke.

Source- Hindu