3 CMs's plea for power from thermal plants

New Delhi, Dec 30 (UNI) The Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh,-Orissa and Jharkhand met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here today and demanded revenue by way of duty and a portion of the power from pithead thermal power plants at variable cost for the host State.

Dr Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh, Naveen Patnaik of Orissa and Madhu Kora of Jharkhand submitted to Dr Singh a joint memorandum pointing out that there was no benefit to the host State in the case of coal based thermal power plants when power was exported ourside the State.The host State was entitled to get 12 per cent free power from a hydel plant located in the State, they said.

They explained to the Prime Minster that a host state had to provide land and water and was also required to deal with the rehabilitation and environmental issues in the supporting pithead, but got no compensation for same under the present policy.

The Chief Ministers also discussed with the Prime Minster the issue of allocation of coal blocks to thermal power projects of the coal producing states and the need to make available concession power to the host state from such projects.

UNI YS VD VC2130