Navjot Singh Sidhu slams AAP govt in Delhi over electricity issue

Chandigarh, July 10: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday attacked the AAP government in Delhi over its petition in the Supreme Court, which was later withdrawn, seeking closure of 10 power plants in three states, including Punjab.

The BJP and the SAD also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party over the petition and accused it of "plotting" against the interests of Punjab.

The Delhi government on Friday withdrew from the apex court its plea seeking directions to 10 coal-fired thermal power plants in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, which allegedly contributes to air pollution in the national capital, to immediately cease operations till Flue Gas Desulphurization technology is installed to reduce harmful emission.

Sidhu, who has been raising electricity issues in the state for the past few days, alleged that the AAP government in Delhi wanted the thermal power plants in Punjab to shut down amid the electricity crisis.

"Today, forces bent-upon Punjab''s destruction are clearly visible ... Delhi govt wants Punjab''s lifeline, our thermal power plants, to shut down in the middle of a power crisis leaving Punjabis helpless in this simmering heat and our farmers to suffer in this paddy-sowing season," the cricketer-turned-politician tweeted.

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh lambasted Arvind Kejriwal for trying to shut down thermal power plants in Punjab on the pretext of saving Delhi.

In a statement, he said Delhi Chief Minister Arvid Kejriwal had always been "plotting against the interests of Punjab" and now he was trying to "bring the state to ruin".

Chugh said at a time when Punjab is facing a power crisis, the Kejriwal government''s move could only be termed "heinous and criminal".

Shiromani Akali Dal''s senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema accused Kejriwal of "betraying" the people of Punjab by filing the petition. It was a "big conspiracy" to further worsen the power crisis in the state, he alleged.

Punjab is reeling under an unprecedented power shortage with urban and rural areas facing frequent load shedding and voltage fluctuations.

Congress MLA Navjot Sidhu, in another tweet, blamed the Badals for signing power purchase agreements (PPAs) during the SAD-BJP rule in Punjab.

"The Badals-signed PPAs with thermal power plants and (Bikram Singh) Majithia as minister of renewable energy (2015-17) signed PPAs for 25 years for solar power at Rs 5.97 to 17.91 per unit to loot Punjab knowing cost of solar is decreasing 18 per cent per year since 2010 and is Rs 1.99 per unit today," said Sidhu.