Shimla, April 9 (IANS) Only 10 percent of hydropower projects allocated by the government in Himachal Pradesh were executed in the past 20 years, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said Tuesday.
The audit of hydropower development through private sector participation revealed that out of 559 projects with aggregate 10,131 MW capacity allotted to independent power producers from November 1991 to 2011-12, only 55 projects with 1,805.45 MW capacity were completed, said the CAG.
The report tabled in the assembly said the state government had identified potential sites of small hydropower projects on the basis of preliminary reconnaissance only.
“No system existed to conduct pre-feasibility studies to ensure realistic estimation of power potential,” said the CAG.
It said the execution of 40 projects with a total capacity of 315.35 MW could not progress well and suffered due to inadequate and non-conducting of feasibility.
“Also, negligence of environmental concerns was quite visible as far the sustenance of aquatic eco-system plantation activities were found highly deficient,” the CAG said.
It said the implementation of the projects through private sector participation was not efficient.
“On the whole, there was inefficiency on the part of the government in ensuring power development through independent power producers,” it added.
The CAG advised the government to constitute a high-power committee at the state level to monitor the implementation of the projects and ensuring that the projects do not have an adverse impact on the environment.
Himachal Pradesh’s hydropower generation potential is 23,000 MW, about 25 percent of India’s total hydropower potential.
However, only 8,368 MW of power, both in government and private sectors, has been tapped in the state, said the state’s economic survey report tabled in the assembly last month.
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