Chandigarh, February 10, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar not to befool the people by expressing concern about pollution by the Talwandi Sabo thermal plant when his own government had recommended it be given extension to install anti- pollution devices.
In a statement here, senior SAD leader Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra said this was the second time that Sunil Jakhar had indulged in needless stunts to divert attention from the Rs 4100 crore power scam as well as the haste shown by the Congress government in protecting the interests of private thermal plants.
“I want to ask Jakhar a simple question. Why is he silent about the Rs 4100 crore power scam? Why hasn’t he taken his case for action in the matter to chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh or Congress President Sonia Gandhi?”
The SAD leader said the Pradesh Congress President indulged in all these public relation exercises only to divert public attention from the corrupt deals of the Congress party which was the real reason for the repeated hike in power tariff.
He said if Jakhar was really serious about the matter he would have got an independent inquiry marked into the Rs 4100 crore power scam or directed the State Pollution Control Board to close down all private thermal plants for not installing anti-pollution devices.
Stating that the Congress government was hand in glove with the private thermal plant managements, Prof Chandumajra said Congress leaders made under had deals with thermal plant managements to cause a loss of Rs 4100 crore to the State exchequer.
“Now again the State Pollution Control Board has at the instance of the Congress government given a two year reprieve to the private thermal plant managements who were supposed to install fuel gas desulphurization units by December 31 last year.
This is another scam. It is shocking that instead of agitating and exposing this scam, Jakhar went to villages in Mansa district and put up a show of sympathy to give the impression that the Congress party stood with the people. The reality is that the Congress party and government is hand in glove with the private thermal plants and Jakhar is indulging in cheap dramas only to divert criticism from the government”.
Prof Chandumajra also advised the PPCC chief that if he really wanted justice for the people of Punjab, he should demand answers from the chief minister and if the latter again refused to meet him as had happened once earlier he should approach Mrs Sonia Gandhi. “If this too fails you should resign from your post immediately”.
He also asked Jakhar to tell what he had done vis a vis constant hikes in power tariff. “You have been a silent spectator to continuous hikes in power tariff which had made power in Punjab one of the most expensive in the country. This has made life hell for the common man and also driven away investment from Punjab. It would be better if you get these hikes withdrawn instead of resorting to cheap dramas”, Prof Chandumajra added.
