192 MW Allain Duhangan hydel project on schedule

Shimla, May 19 (UNI) Rajasthan-based textile group LNJ Bhilwara, executing the 192 MW Allain Duhangan hydel project in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, hopes to generate about 3,000 MW of power in the country by 2014.

Talking to UNI here, company's spokesman Ravijit Chaudhary said the Allain Duhangan hydel project was expected to begin trial operations by March 2009, while the project would be commissioned by June next year.

Refuting that the hydel project was behind schedule, he said it was not true and added that ''even though it had suffered delays on account of the matter being taken to court. The hydel project is on schedule as the matter has been settled amicably.'' The Allain Duhangan hydel project in which the World Bank through International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested 45 million dollars ran into controversy with environmentalists and suffered delays as courts ordered stalling of the work till damages were assessed and affected people compensated.

Mr Chaudhary said the group plans to generate about 3,000 MW of power by 2014 as several of its projects would be commissioned from 2010 onwards.

This would be the company's second hydel project in the state that would begin generating power after 86 MW Malana hydel power project was commissioned a few years ago, he added.

He said the company has also bagged two more projects in the state, including the 140 MW Chango-Yangtang in Kinnuar district and the 200 MW Bara Bangal project.

The company, he said, was also preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for three projects in Arunachal Pradesh with a combined generation potential of 290 MW, costing about 1,700 crore.

The spokesman said the detailed survey for the execution of the Chango-Yangtang and Bara Bangal had already been taken and work would begin once all clearances were obtained.

The group had bagged two hydel projects in Nepal too, Mr Chaudhary added.

UNI AS PS MP US1833