Press Releases Archive

Giving merchant power status to Hindujas harmful: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said today that the Government move to extend merchant power status to the Hinduja Power Project at Visakhapatnam is highly detrimental to State’s interests.

In a media statement, Dr. JP pointed out that the State Government, which allocated land at a highly subsidized rate and facilitated coal linkage, is entitled to buy the entire power generated at the Hinduja plant at the price charged by NTPC’s Simhadri power plant, as agreed upon earlier. If it now concedes merchant power status to the Hinduja project, it will have to reconcile itself to allocation of a fraction of the power it produces.

The 1000-mw plant produces on an average 20 million units of power a day. If the State Government has to buy the entire Hinduja power at even one rupee more per unit than that charged by NTPC’s Simhadri plant, the extra burden works out to Rs.2 crore a day or more than Rs.700 crore a year.

Dr. JP once again faulted the Government for planning to establish a power generation capacity of nearly 46,000 mw against the requirement of about 15,000 mw. Of the 46,000 mw planned, 28000 mw will come from merchant power plants.

Why should the Government dispossess people of their precious land and subject them to unwarranted pollution when there is no need for such massive power generation, asked Dr. JP.

The power exported from merchant power plants will facilitate industrialization and job creation in other States. The Government with its skewed priorities sees nothing wrong in inflicting unwarranted suffering on the people of the State, Dr. JP commented.

The Lok Satta will soon constitute a panel of experts to go into the whole gamut of electricity generation issues, and suggest a rational, viable, environment and people-friendly policy for new power plants.

Sunday, September 26, 2010 - 12:57

Special courts alone can help eradicate Corruption: Lok Satta

The Lok Satta Party today called upon political parties and the State Government to come forward voluntarily to put an end to corruption before people revolt against them. That corruption has assumed monumental proportion is evident from the series of reports the media has been running for the past one month with specific charges and prima facie evidence against politicians of all hues and top officials.

Talking to the media, party leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao, G.Raja Reddy and Eda Chennaiah said that had the Government prevented siphoning of funds, it would have had enough resources to ensure healthcare and education to all, development of 1000 small towns and livelihood opportunities to 50 lakh youth. There would not have been agitations in the name of backwardness in certain areas.

In good old days, the Lok Satta leaders recalled, charges of corruption were laid against a few politicians or officials or institutions. These days, however, the integrity of everyone has come under a shadow. In the changed context, an agitation here or there against somebody or the other will not deliver results. A solution lies in constitution of special courts and appointment of independent prosecutors to try the corrupt. The Government should attach ill-gotten properties and send the guilty to jail. Sure and swift punishment alone will help eradicate corruption and cleanse the political system. Lok Satta leaders will not be an exception if they too face charges.

Commending Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu for seeking constitution of fast track courts to try the guilty in the Commonwealth Games scams, the Lok Satta leaders said he should extend the same logic to corruption reinging in Andhra Pradesh.

Giving a ballpark estimate of corruption in the State, the Lok Satta leaders said it would be not less than one-third of the State’s GDP or Rs.1,00,000 crore. Corruption encompassed land allocations, mining leases, Jalayagnam, INDIRAMMA houses, ration cards, fee reimbursement and whatnot. Elected representatives apart from officials are the major beneficiaries of this unbridled plunder of public money, said the Lok Satta leaders.

The Lok Satta leaders said they had no doubt that money from Andhra Pradesh too would have formed part of the Rs.6,00,000 crore black money that flowed out of India during 2000-2008, going by a Washington think tank study.

Friday, September 24, 2010 - 17:39

Personification of integrity: Dr. JP on Simhadri

Mr. Simhadri Satyanarayana was an embodiment of integrity and rectitude, said Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today. In contrast to innumerable politicians who minted millions, Simhadri spent his own money on rendering service to the public.

Dr. JP in a statement recalled that the Lok Satta Party honored Simhadri on December 9, 2007 – World Anti Corruption Day – since he stood against for corruption and for clean politics.

Simhadri, who entered politics inspired by N. T. Rama Rao, served people as MLA from Avanigadda for three terms and as Minister for Endowments and Minister for Commercial Taxes.

Sections in the party, who were not reconciled his straightforward nature, sidelined him. Even after quitting active politics and unmindful of his age, Simhadri continued to serve people by spending money out of his pocket.

Dr. JP conveyed his condolences to the members of Simhadri’s family.

Friday, September 24, 2010 - 17:35

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