CPM against setting up of steel plants in HP

Shimla, July 18 (UNI) The CPM today opposed the setting up of two steel plants in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, saying these power intensive plants would together consume 88 MW of power, which the state has to buy from the neighbouring states at high prices during lean periods.

The plants would get cheap power from the HP State Electricity Board (HPSEB), which was already running in loss, increasing its losses since it had to buy power from the neighbouring states at astronomical rates during the winters, party's state secretary Rakesh Singha said in a release here.

He said the party that it had termed the setting up of the plants as the biggest scandal in the history of the hill state as now gone ahead and given its nod for the steel plants against the will of the people of the state.

Mr Singha said the onus was now on the BJP to explain its actions as it had accused the then Congress Government of receiving kickbacks in allowing the coming up of these plants.

The party also demanded a white paper on the industrial policy of the state, saying it would help in framing broad guidelines and bring transparency in its industrial policy decisions.

UNI AS HS JS1841