The commission is looking into the then government allegedly taking the negotiations route without following the tender process.
Published Jun 12, 2024 | 9:44 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 12, 2024 | 9:44 AM
BRS chief KCR.
The inquiry commission looking into alleged irregularities in the power sector during the previous BRS government’s tenure has issued notices to former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and several others and sought their responses as part of its ongoing probe.
Retired Justice L Narasimha Reddy, head of the commission, told reporters in Hyderabad on Tuesday, 11 June, that the panel has identified “25 officials and non-officials” who took decisions on the issues under inquiry.
Rao sought time till the end of July to submit the reply but the commission told him to furnish it by 15 June as it had only a limited period available, he said.
Speaking to reporters on 12 March this year after a cabinet meeting, state Information Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy had said retired Justice L Narasimha Reddy would head the inquiry into the alleged irregularities with regard to Bhadradri and Yadadri power plants.
The inquiry would also cover the power purchase concerning the Chhattisgarh government during the previous BRS regime. The duration of this probe would also be 100 days, he had said.
The commission is looking into the then government allegedly taking the negotiations route without following the tender process.
Referring to the panel’s interactions with former senior officials of power utilities, Justice Narasimha Reddy said the gist of the interactions is that the then state government took the decisions and that the utilities did not take decisions independently.
Talking about various aspects of the issue of power purchase from Chhattisgarh, he indicated that the state allegedly had to pay heavy costs though details are yet to be worked out.
With regard to the Bhadradri plant, he said, while supercritical technology was being used widely, sub-critical technology was used in the plant. The sub-critical technology caused not only environmental pollution but also a financial burden.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
