Date:11/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/11/stories/2007031102350400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Privatisation of power projects opposed

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Janata Dal (U) State unit president B. Somashekar on Saturday urged Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Minister for Energy H.D. Revanna to withdraw the order on privatising the three projects to generate 3,000 MW of power at Ghataprabha in Belgaum district, Jewaragi in Gulbarga district and another in Mysore District. Mr. Somashekar told presspersons that the Government hgad been working against the Karnataka Power Corporation, which was to take up the projects, and said the whole scheme looked fishy.

Otherwise, he said, the party had to suspect the bonafides of the Government decision.

Criticising the Government for implementing the load shedding via the system improvement works, Mr. Somashekar urged it to declare its inability to supply power instead of fooling the public.

Mr. Somashekar said not even one MW of power was added to the State grid in the last two-and-a-half years. That was why, he said, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa declined to chair the Cabinet sub-committee on load shedding because he would have been forced to bear the burden of buying costly power. Mr. Kumaraswamy, who became the chairman later, chose not to call the meeting.