Chhattisgarh farmers protest Rs.55-bn power project

October 5th, 2009 RAIPUR - Chhattisgarh has embarked on a plan to become a leading power producer in India, signing 61 deals with independent power producers (IPPs) to generate about 50,000 MW of electricity, an official said Monday. The coal-fired power projects will come up in northern Chhattisgarh, a coal-rich belt, on a total investment of around Rs.250,000 crore.

September 18th, 2009 RAMPUR - Hundreds of residents and farmers here protested against the construction of run-of-river hydropower plant project on the river Satluj. The campaigners called for Save Satluj drive and complained that the hydropower plant would disturb the ecological balance of the region.

August 29th, 2009 LUCKNOW - Hundreds of farmers took to the streets in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri district, seeking return of farmland acquired to set up a power plant. Reliance Power held by Anil Ambani's ADA group had announced setting up of a 3,500 megawatt gas-based power plant in Dadri at a cost of 2.2 million dollars.

August 19th, 2009 KOLKATA - At least 15 people were injured, including seven policemen, as hundreds of farmers clashed with cops in West Bengal's Burdwan district Wednesday over the proposed expansion of a power plant project by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). A group of agitators, under the banner of Trinamool Congress-backed Krishi Jami Raksha Committee (Save Farmland Committee), came out in Andal village and tried to stop the work at the proposed site.

July 23rd, 2009 RAIPUR - Power utility NTPC Ltd has agreed to provide 35 percent of the electricity produced at its upcoming 500 MW stage-III Korba project to Chhattisgarh, a government statement said Thursday. "NTPC (formerly National Thermal Power Corp) has agreed to provide 175 MW power to Chhattisgarh from its 500 MW stage-III Korba project that will begin generation by February 2010," the statement said.

June 23rd, 2009 RAIPUR - Decks have been cleared for the 4,000-MW ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Chhattisgarh as the central government has finally approved the project, ending months-long controversy. The government, which had earlier selected Chhattisgarh as one of the five states for setting up UMPPs, reportedly rejected the project last August as the state government stuck to its demand for 50 percent of power at "invariable cost" from the project.

June 1st, 2009 RAIPUR - The Chhattisgarh government Monday announced that it will provide free electricity to farmers using irrigation pumps under five horse power capacity. The scheme, which will cost the state exchequer an estimated Rs.150 crore annually, will come into effect from Aug 15 this year, an official statement said.

February 7th, 2009 RAIPUR - A Rs.55 billion project has hit a roadblock in Chhattisgarh as about 150 farmers Sunday decided not to hand over their land to GMR Energy for its proposed 1,200 MW thermal power project. 'GMR Energy has tasked several agents or brokers in the village to persuade farmers to surrender their land.

January 28th, 2009 RAIPUR - GMR Energy will begin construction work on its ambitious, albeit contentious, 1,200 MW Chhattisgarh power project by September, a top company official said Thursday. 'The company will begin construction work by September and we are confident about completing the land acquisition within three-four months,' GMR Energy chief executive Raaj Kumar told newsmen here.

January 24th, 2009 RAIPUR - Power producer GMR Energy's plans to build a 1,200 MW coal-fired power project in Chhattisgarh's Raipur district has hit a major roadblock, with local farmers vowing to go to 'any extent' to block the Rs.55-billion (Rs.5,500 crore) facility. The government's efforts to acquire about 1,100 acres for the project in Raikheda village, some 35 km from state capital Raipur, have been opposed by the farmers, who say the plant will pollute the region, endangering the health of thousands of villagers.

January 20th, 2009 MATHURA - One man was killed here when the police fired at farmers protesting against inadequate compensation paid to them for land acquired from them to build the Yamuna Expressway. The Uttar Pradesh Police said Tuesday evening that 18 people were also injured in the firing.

January 17th, 2009 RAIPUR - Chhattisgarh will start generating up to 700 MW power over the next three years using dust from coal washeries, Chief Minister Raman Singh said Sunday. Speaking at the two-day convention on 'Energy security from renewable energy sources' here, he said the country can narrow the widening demand-supply power gap by looking into options to generate power from non-conventional sources.

January 17th, 2009 RAIPUR - In an attempt to end the power crisis in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh will supply about 300 MW electricity to the southern state, an official said Sunday. 'We have formally approved the Karnataka government's request.

January 1st, 2009 RAIPUR - The second 500 MW stage-II unit of the state-owned National Thermal Power Corp's (NTPC) Sipat project in Chhattisgarh has begun commercial production, a company official said Friday. The approved capacity of Sipat Super Thermal Power Project, located some 140 km from here in Bilaspur district, is 2,980 MW.

December 31st, 2008 RAIPUR - The Chhattisgarh government Thursday announced that it has split the state electricity board into five entities - one holding company and four others to manage transmission, distribution, production and trading. The new companies are - Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Co.