States playing spoilsport for Maharashtra,Karnataka UMPPs

Lack of enthusiasm on the part of the state governments is likely to doom the Center`s plan to set up ultra mega power projects (UMPP) in the two states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The two neighbouring states have failed to offer suitable locations for their respective projects, even after years of regular follow ups by the Union Power Ministry. The central government, since mid-2007, has been asking the concerned governments to suggest alternate sites, in lieu of those previously identified, for establishing the UMPPs. While acquisition of land at the Girye site, in Maharashtra, has been hampered by growers of Alphonso mangoes, progress of the Tadri project is believed to have hit a deadlock, due to the agitations of the local fishermen.  Although, the Government of Maharashtra had offered an alternate site, after the Girye location was scrapped, at Munge in the Sindhudurg district of the state, no preliminary investigations could be conducted, owing to opposition from the local inhabitants. Similarly, the Karnataka government, in 2008 offered two other sites at Kudgi and Mannur, but, upon inspection, in early 2009, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Power Finance corporation (PFC) found the sites to be unsuitable for the power project proposed to be run on imported coal, as they were far from the nearest major port, at New Mangalore. Since then, no action has been reported on the part of either government. In view of these circumstances, the future of these projects seems uncertain. Further, the power ministry has also decided to keep these projects on hold, until it elicits a positive response from the concerned states, and, instead, to focus on development of the other prospective UMPPs that are proposed for execution during the 12th Plan period. Notably, the Maharashtra and Karnataka UMPPs are among the 14 UMPPs conceived by the Government of India. Of these, four UMPPs at Sasan in Madhya Pradesh, Mundra in Gujarat, Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Tilaiya in Jharkhand have already been awarded, while bidding for Chhattisgarh and Orissa UMPPs are underway.