Shimla, July 30 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh High Court Monday directed the state government to file an affidavit on the steps taken to direct a private company running a hydropower project to deposit of Rs.50 crore as local area development fund.
Jaypee Karcham Hydro Corp Ltd, a subsidiary of the Jaypee Group, has already paid over Rs.33 crore and another Rs.50 crore is to be paid, according to villagers.
The court directed the Kinnaur deputy commissioner to furnish the detail of the deposits already made by the company, which runs a 1,000 MW hydropower project some 250 km from here.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice D.C. Chaudhary passed the order on a petition filed by the gram panchayat of Sapni against the state and the company for inaction on their part for the development of the local area.
The villager are demanding the widening of the Kharcham-Spiti Road.
During the hearing, member secretary of the local area development committee informed the court that the company had to deposit Rs.83.47 crore with the committee. However, only Rs.33.8 crore was deposited.
Company’s counsel said they had spent much more than what was due to be deposited.
According to government’s counsel, 1.5 percent of the project cost was to be utilised for the development of the local area.
The case would be next heard Aug 16.
The company’s commissioned its first unit of 250 MW May 26, 2011. Subsequently, the other three units were also made operational.
