Dharamshala: In a serious allegation, former Industries Minister Bikram Thakur has accused the Himachal Pradesh government of orchestrating a multi-crore green energy scam, placing the blame squarely on Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and a senior IAS officer.
Thakur, who has been at odds with Sukhu since the government took charge, raised these claims during a press conference on Monday. He presented documents alleging massive corruption and financial mismanagement in the state’s green energy projects, specifically pointing to inflated costs and irregularities in project execution.
Double-Cost Projects and Misuse of Public Funds
Thakur alleged that several green energy projects in Himachal have been executed at nearly double the actual cost. He disclosed that the state government had taken a hefty loan of ₹500 crores to fund these projects, but the funds have been misused. He pointed fingers at an influential IAS officer, claiming the officer is deeply involved in the scam, overseeing the manipulation of project costs.
“Projects are being executed at almost double the cost. We have solid evidence that points to a scam running in the power department, with an IAS officer at the helm,” Thakur said.
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Pekhuwala Project: Overpriced and Underperforming
Thakur cited one specific example— the green energy project inaugurated by Chief Minister Sukhu in April 2024 at Pekhuwala, Una. According to Thakur, the project has been executed at an inflated cost of ₹220 crores, which is ₹100 crores more than what it should have cost. He further revealed that the site was poorly selected, resulting in the project now operating at just 50% capacity due to heavy rains in August.
“While a similar 35 MW project in Gujarat was completed for just ₹144 crores, this 28 MW project in Himachal has been priced at ₹220 crores. The cost per megawatt here stands at ₹6.84 crores, which is the highest in the country,” said Thakur.
He also pointed out that while the Gujarat project includes a 10-year operation and maintenance contract, the Himachal project only covers 8 years, yet at a higher cost.
Regulatory Violations and Delays in Projects
Thakur argued that as per the state’s regulatory commission, the cost per megawatt for such projects should have been around ₹4 crores. However, the actual cost in Himachal stands at ₹6.84 crores, almost double. He questioned why the state government was paying such an exorbitant price, calling it a “blatant misuse of public funds.”
The former minister also highlighted the state’s failure in executing several other hydro projects, resulting in significant financial penalties. “A penalty of ₹5 crores has been imposed on the state for delays in five hydel projects, most of which are in Chamba, including Dekothi, Hel, Saikothi 1, and Saikothi 2,” he said. Thakur stressed that the government could have funded four or five projects with the ₹500 crores it borrowed, but instead allocated ₹220 crores to just one, raising serious concerns over financial mismanagement.
Call for Investigation and Accountability
Bikram Thakur called for an immediate investigation into the alleged scam, stating that the people of Himachal Pradesh deserve answers. He emphasized that the evidence he presented should be thoroughly examined, and those responsible, including the IAS officer, should be held accountable.
“This is not just a matter of mismanagement; it’s a scandal that has impacted the state’s economy and robbed its people of resources that could have been used for multiple projects. We cannot let this go unchecked,” Thakur added.
