Press Release from Mr.Sukhpal Singh Khaira MLA

Press Release Dated : 08.08.2009

The Akali’s may have won by-elections but they have lost the confidence of the people of Punjab in so far tackling issues of public importance is concerned particularly the grim power situation. Apart from rampant corruption, political vendetta, usurping of all trades like transport, sand quarrying, cable network and bulk liquor the SAD has utterly failed to improve the power situation in Punjab.

The 2007 poll manifesto of the SAD had promised to make Punjab power surplus within three years of formation of Govt. Now half way in their tenure the people of Punjab had to bear the brunt with long power cuts for industry, agriculture and domestic. Improvement in the power scenario in Punjab is like a mirage if we go by the ground realities.

The SAD has mislead the people with huge advertisements of three mega thermal plants coming up in Punjab namely Talwandi Sabo, Gidderbaha and Rajpura. The foundation stone of 1980 MW Talwandi Sabo thermal plant was laid with much pomp and show on September 2, 2008 ahead of Lok Sabha elections. As reported no work has started on this project for which 2000 acres of land has been acquired. After one year even the boundary wall of the project has not been completed. Similarly the coal linkages for the proposed Gidderbaha project have not been obtained. As far as the third thermal plant of Rajpura is concerned it has not crossed the primary stage of bidding. Recently only one company by the name of Lanco bid for the project which was cancelled for very high cost proposed for per unit electricity by the bidder.

Therefore, under the circumstances the so called thermal plants are not even at the take off stage, when will they be completed? The congress party terms these thermal plants a farce concocted by Sh. Sukhbir Badal to hoodwink the voters of Punjab like they have succeeded in Jalalabad. The congress challenges Sh. Sukhbir Badal to a public debate on the issue of worsening power situation in the State. The congress lambasts the Akali’s for making false promises like on the power situation for cheap political gains. The congress cautions the Punjabi’s to be prepared to face similar critical summer’s for the remaining period of habitual and perpetual liars as the Akali’s have turned out to be.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira

MLA Bholath