Orissa Matters

I have good news to share…

Eminent publishing house Bharata Bharati that has published all my books so far has brought out two of my new titles, one a poetic translation of the famous songs of immortal Maithili poet Vidyapati, compiled under the caption VIDYAPATINKA PREMAGEET, wherein, for scholars, I have made breaking discussions on socio-political environment of his writings. And the other one, titled as SMRUTIREKHA is poetic presentation of the intricate feelings of a lover to whom his requited love was lost. These are my contributions to Oriya literature outside my professional cocoon.

Modern Orissa’s most celebrated poet Sri Ramakant Rath has given his kind consent to inaugurate the books. Dr. Pramod Kumar Mohanty would discuss on VIDYAPATINKA PREMAGEET, and Dr. Sneha Das on SMRUTIREKHA whereas Dr.H.P.Pariccha Pattanaik, Secretary of Orissa Sahitya Academy would speak on both the books on the aspect of lucidity vis-à-vis modernity. Adhyapak Biswaranjan shall chair.

The event will take place in the auditorium of Red Cross Bhawan at 6 PM on Sunday, December 6, 2009.
It would be cherished for ever if any of you happen to be present at Bhubaneswar and find it convenient to attend the function.

– Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

WE SHOULD BE SERIOUS IN LOOKING AT 26/11

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

One year ago on November 26, India had to face bloody terrorists from Pakistan at Mumbai. In different parts of the country different persons and organizations are observing the first anniversary of this nasty day in lighting candles in honor of victims of the terror strike and in organizing human catenae to symbolize their solidarity with the people against terrorism. Members in the Parliament have, at commencement of the day, paid homage to victims of 26/11 by standing up in silence for two minutes.

It would be wrong to describe this “anniversary” observance as an instance of how much we Indians are capable of making a farce of our patriotism.

But why are we as a nation so passive in our reaction?

We have Governments that have confused us in the matter of terrorist threats by concentrating more on projecting the opponents of exploitation as the terrorist and pressing military might to extinguish them in a style that has the mischief to dilute the definition of terrorism. The active leftists, whom the usurpers of political power have been branding as terrorists, are the persons that the exploited, wretchedly poor and helpless population, forming the majority in our country, look at as their redeemers. Instead of preserving the word “terrorist” for perpetrators of cross border terrorism, the right-wingers in power have consistently used the term for the left ultras. As left ultras enjoy political credibility because of being the strongest opponents of exploitation, the word “terrorist” as their official epithet has gained such credentials that it has lost the reason to be looked upon as a word to be despised. Most of India’s socio-political thinkers have not yet cogitated upon this point. Unless we drop the word “terrorist” from use against the left ultras, the cross-border terrorists may also be mistaken as opponents of exploitation.

November 26 calls for application of alert collective mind to this aspect. We shall have to stop use of the word “terrorist” and use of uniformed forces of the country against left-ultras if we are serious on concentration against real terrorists such as those that shocked our nation on this day last year.

But this would not be enough. We are to find out who provided the Pak terrorists the environment they needed to strike like they did in Mumbai.

It is well on records that the USA was funding and instigating Pakistan to mount terrorist attacks on India. Their Home Department Documents bear rampant evidences. But our Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh is a strong ally of USA. And, when he was the Chief of our Reserve Bank, an USA pampered Pakistani Bank called BCCI, known as the Bank of Pakistani terror-funding, had bagged RBI cooperation to spread its tentacles in India in stark disregard to warnings from our country’s main external intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).

Even as this Bank was unmasked by USA Congressional investigations and was banned in different countries, its activities went on uninterrupted in India and then as the Union Finance Minister Dr. Singh had tried to shield it from public knowledge. Even the parliament of India was hoodwinked.

People should have the details of this sordid scenario through publication of all reports and discussions on BCCI vis-à-vis the records of USA role in instigating Pakistan against India to the extent the government knows with explanation thereto, if any, so that the real masterminds behind the creation of environment for 26/11 attack on India could be known.

The motion regarding collapse of BCCI had to collapse under a secret pact of the Congress party with the BJP, as its stalwart Jaswant Singh who had moved the motion. However, as the debate was abruptly ending, Dr. Singh had told the House that he would look into the matter afresh.

“Whatever has been said on the floor of this House I would transmit to the Reserve Bank, to our intelligence agencies. I may also inform the House that I have appointed, rather the Reserve Bank have appointed M/s. Billimoria and Company to do a comprehensive audit of the activities of the Bombay branch (of BCCI) right from the date of its inception”, he had then said.

What did report Billimoria and company? Why Dr. Singh has not revealed that to the nation so far? Why should we not look at him with suspicion, when we know the USA link with Paki terrorism and how imitable is USA to Dr. Singh?

It is time; we should be serious about the background of 26/11 and the environment of terrorism that our motherland is subjected to.

VIGILANCE SHOULD TELL IF NAVIN IS NOT INVOLVED

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

The provincial Congress demand for CBI inquiry into illegal mining in Orissa is absolutely unacceptable, because the said organization has no spine to work honestly, as has already been established in the case against Quattrocchi. On the other hand, the Vigilance Police of Orissa has shown its ability to work as allegation of illegal mining in the State has been corroborated on the basis of its investigations, even though the mines it has made a cursory inquiry into, are quite marginal in number. Because of Orissa Vigilance, a group of officers including the Director of Mines is suspended under charges of involvement with the offense. So, it would be wrong not to rely upon Orissa Vigilance in the instant matter.

But instead of telling who is looting Orissa mines, the Vigilance Police would do better by telling if Chief Minister Navin Patnaik is not involved with the loot. Motherland is more important than the ruler, the sleuths and officers should remember.

Ores worth how many thousand crores of Rupees are looted according to Vigilance is not important at the moment. Important is, revelation of the details of the facilitator(s) of the loot. This revelation is needed for better management of democracy and the Orissa Vigilance Police is capable of fulfilling this need.

The Vigilance wing knows and we also know that it has raided a very small number of mines for an instant assessment of the loot. But the State Government has suspended operations in 128 mines and cancelled 482 trading licenses.

Why the Government has suspended operations in 128 mines and cancelled 482 trading licenses? The answer is very simple. To the knowledge of the State Government they are involved with illegal mining.

When the Vigilance has not spotted them all, how the Government could know that they are involved with illegal mining?

This question prompts us to assume that the State Government does not need to know of the looters through Vigilance Police, because it knows who the illegal operators are.

So, suspension of operations in 128 mines and cancellation of 482 trading licenses are based on the Government’s own knowledge of illegal mining activities of these operators.

How could illegal mining operators mushroomed to such high dimension so swiftly and so safely and why had the Government not taken any earlier action against them?

We need the answer to this question from the Vigilance. We expect that Chief Minister Navin Patnaik should come forward with the answer if he is not involved with this loot. If he does not come out with the answer, it should be the duty of the Vigilance Police to tell the people the truth.

It is not inappropriate to recall how Navin had figured in then Union Minister of State for Environment Dilip Singh Judeo’s bribe taking picture, when, before a spy cam, in the mouth of his personal assistant Natwar Rateria, a mines-monger from a foreign land was assured of smooth grabbing of mines in Orissa. “Orissa mein tasalli banayon. Jo chahenge voh hoga” (Celebrate your scope in Orissa. Whatever we want will happen there). How could Judeo be so sure? As Rateria hinted to, that was because of mutual cooperation between Judeo and Navin, which had helped the latter to bag 9000 crores of Rupees out of environmental clearance granted to mines operators. The dialogue delivered through Rateria, embarrassing to Orissa but relevant to the issue at hand, is, “Orissa mein bhi ………… apna kafi command hai… Nau hazaar (9,000) crore ki relief Naveen Patnaik ko apne mantralay ke project se… us se kuch bhi karva sekte hain”. (We have sufficient influence over Orissa as by granting environmental clearance to mining projects we have helped Navin Patnaik pocket 9000 crores of Rupees. We can make him do anything.) “… Naveen Patnaik ka jab bhi koi baat padegi, ek minute mein karva denge. Apne pehle aahsaan hain uske upar hai. Aur relationship bhi badi purani hai”. (Whenever you need work done from Naveen Patnaik, we can get it done in a minute. He is already indebted to us and our relationship is quite old.)

These were the dialogues on records that had shaken the country in August 2006 so much that Judeo was forced to resign from the Vajpayee ministry. But neither the Central Government under Vajpayee whose Ministry of Environment was misused for benefit of illegal mines operators nor the State Government of Orissa whose Chief Minister was thus named to have gained Rs.9000 crores from mines operators with the help of Judeo, took any step to establish that the assertions caught by spy cam were baseless and incorrect. This has kept the allegation alive and erect, though under layers of the dusts of time.

But time has exposed the enormity of illegality and corruption in management of mines in Orissa.

Therefore it is time, the Vigilance Police, if they are true to their salt, should investigate truthfully into every aspect of the mining scam and say if the Chief Minister Navin Patnaik is not involved with this. As we have watched, his henchmen have held the portfolio of mines in all these years and such enormous illegal activities by the mines mafia could not have run so safely for such a long period sans cooperation of the ministers concerned and the Chief Minister.

Modus operandi of Ministers, specifically the Chief Minister in helping mines mafia for payola or bribe, call it as you like, is a long experienced reality in Orissa.

As far back as on 14th July 1963, when Navin’s father Biju Patnaik was the Chief Minister of Orissa, an ever revered leader of matchless patriotism, late Nabakrishna Chowdhury had exposed the nexus between the political boss of the State and the mine owners.

Speaking at Gandhi Tattwa Prachar Kendra, Balasore, he had shown how huge money was being collected from mine owners / operators in the name of election funds by providing them with official support to fetch more profit by exploiting Orissa mines even as most of the funds so collected in name of the party was being misappropriated by the top leader and his close associates.

Taking the cue, journalist G.S.Bhargava had enumerated Biju’s unholy connection with the mines mafia and his other corruptions in the Indian Express in July 1964.

As Biju had tried to hoodwink the people by instituting a damage case against Bhargava, the people of Orissa had raised such a sharp and severe mass movement demanding his resignation that ultimately he had to be thwarted out of power. His case against Bhargava did not retain focus and was abandoned.

Like Biju, his mentor Harekrishna Mahtab was also marked for having personally gained by granting favor to exploiters of Orissa mines.

Justice Mudholkar in his fact-finding report had noted that Mahtab’s role in grant of lease of chromite mines to Md. Serajuddin in 1957 vis-à-vis his rapid acquisition of wealth between 1956 and 1960 read with his orders for withdrawal of criminal prosecution against ten iron and steel dealers were suggestive of corrupt practices.

When on Mudholkar’s recommendations, a judicial commission of inquiry was instituted with Justice Saraju Prasad in the Chair, Mahtab tried to obstruct its proceedings. The report of Prasad is full of evidences of evasive tactics used by Mahtab. Had a subsequent State Government not preferred not to press on prosecution against him in view of his old age, judiciary could have punished him for his grave offences against the State that he had committed in order to please the mines mafia.

So, Chief Ministers of Orissa serving the underworld in mining sector for personal monetary gains is not new and Navin Patnaik is a Chief Minister.

By suspending operations in 128 mines and canceling 482 licenses granted for trading and storage of minerals, the State Government has conversely confessed that till it decided to take this step, these illegal activities were going on without obstruction within its full knowledge. In fact, this step would never have been taken had Navin not been alarmed by the exposure spearheaded by BJP, his ally of yesterday, who are supposed to have known much more of mining corruption as the partners in previous two consecutive ministries. To save his skin, he may take further such steps and press vigilance to inquire into more mines. That does not and should not indicate that he is not personally involved.

To Navin, Congress is not a problem. Because the Congress is the breeder and protector of the environment of corruption in this country.

This party of Quattrocchi protectors has planted Dr.Man Mohan Singh, the father of India’s decadence into the Augean Stables of loot and treachery that has helped emergence of not only Harshad Mehtas and Ambanis but also has served the Pakistani Bank of Terror funding, BCCI with official support and even after it collapsed, has kept its role in ruining India shielded from public eyes as the Prime Minister of India. Inheriting by default the party of the founders of Indian democracy, the present Congress party has already been transformed by Sonia-Singh combine into a lunching pad of American interest and therefore, Navin in who POSCO and the likes see their staunch supporter, has nothing to fear from this party. Its role in the Assembly over the mining issue in the preceding couple of days confirms this aspect..

This is why there is no possibility of knowing the political components of the mines loot unless the Vigilance unveils who of the politicians in power has or have helped the mafia in this matter so far. Wrongs in democracy cannot be corrected if the real culprit is not dragged out of its political cocoon into public gaze.

Vigilance officers are our beloved countrymen with no less patriotism than what their political bosses claim to be having. They should, therefore, act honestly and help our democracy survive the onslaught by telling us through truthful investigation, if Navin is not involved in facilitating the mines loot.

When the principal opposition party’s role is dubious, the Vigilance wing, in the instant case, will be viewed as the last hope or the lost hope.

WHEN MEDIA ACTS IRRESPONSIBLE, EVERY PERSON IS VULNERABLE

Advance assassination of character is not becoming of Free Press

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

In what a media major has found a front page material today is an allegation against a top executive under the department of culture raised by a self-proclaimed victim of his deviance. In some other dailies, the matter has found inner-page posting.

The alleged victim has reportedly filed a complaint with the Baragarh Police Station, Bhubaneswar on November 24 which the latter has taken into cognizance. But the allegation, as reported by the media, does not speak of any current offence.

It is alleged by the victim that he has been working in Orissa Sahitya Academy since eight years and the officer concerned had been forcing him to serve at his residence in the night and subjecting him to sexual exploitation. As he had in resentment stopped going to his residence, he was threatened with dire consequences on October 24. This much the media that has preferred to circulate the news has reported.

Dependable sources in the Sahitya Academy say, the alleger is a hesitant worker and the officer concerned is too strict to accommodate any attempt to take office for granted. As confessed by the alleger, he was not a regular employee and hence recommendation of the officer concerned for regularization of his service was necessary. To the alleger’s apprehension, his regularization was impossible because it was not possible to hoodwink the officer on the steering. Therefore, Academy sources say, the mischief has been contrived.

Whether or not this aspect is correct, the fact is that an allegation of sexual exploitation is raised before the police and no investigation to find out the truth has yet begun. But the way the media has acted, the victim has become the officer against whom the allegation has been raised, that too, after lapse of every conceivable limits of time.

Had media acted responsibly, it should have preferred to wait till the Police find out if at all there was any prima-facie truth in the allegation. But without waiting, the Fourth Estate should have dug out as to how the alleger got his first assignment in the Academy and why for so many years preceding posting of the officer under question he was not regularized.

I regret to note, the media has acted most irresponsibly in the instant case.

The officer named in the media is a man who has given discipline and decorum to practice of administration in the Academy. His additional posting in the Utkal University of Culture has brought a total change to its academic environment. Had the Government been doing documentation of office management or were the media ever tried to keep eyes on such offices of cultural importance, this Officer should have come to be looked as an instance of dedication to work that changes offices from worst to best. But, because of rashness in media, this man having been named, has been thrashed into ignominy even before the allegation against him is investigated into.

In these pages, we have earlier stressed on the need of using medico-legal equipments such as lie-detectors to determine if the alleger is not telling the lie for settling scores with any disadvantageous one, specifically the boss.

In the instant case, we therefore stress, the Police should proceed from putting the alleger to polygraph. And the media should wait till lie-detector says that there is no lie in the allegation. Advance assassination of character is not becoming of Free Press.

Government doesn’t bother to halt power famine, will the Assembly please?

HERE WE PLACE A GENERATION PERSPECTIVE PLANNING FOR ORISSA TO MEET THE PRESENT AND FUTURE POWER DEMAND

(With input from Orissa’s eminent power-professionals and planners)

Due to lack of vision and planning, Orissa is at present facing power shortage of about 1200 MW during evening peak hours (from 6 PM to 11 PM) and 600 MW during off-peak hours (the balance 18 hours of the day) as she is unable to meet its evening peak demand of 3200 MW and average demand of 2500 MW even though it is endowed with two super rich coal fields at Talcher and Ib Valley which can generate thermal power of 1 lakh MW for 100 years with hydro potential to harness about 10,000 MW and Renewable Energy potential of about 20000 MW.

As per the Economic Survey for 2008-09 of Govt. of Orissa, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has registered an annual compound growth of 6.97% over the period 1999-2000 to 2007-08 whereas the demand for electricity has registered a little over 10% during the period 2005-06 to 2008-09.

So it is time to stop thinking of five-year plans for generation planning for capacity addition and to focus in stead on 10, 20 & 30-year scenario. In a rapidly transforming economy, the winners will be the ones who think further ahead. If the state of Orissa as a whole has to be winner, the systemic capacity addition for generation of power has to be planned with great caution and with a serious exercise as power lies in the core of the core sector. The World Management Guru Sri C.K. Prahlad now talks of India at 75 i.e. the year 2022 to consider India’s potential to become a super power. TERI has prepared a Report “GREEN INDIA-2047” to make a really Green India at 100 i.e. in the year 2047. Ministry of Power has already under “VISION-2032” outlined the Integrated Energy Policy which projects the required installed capacity of India at 962 GW and the energy requirement at 4973 BU based on estimated GDP growth @ 8% in FY 2031-32. It would therefore be proper to map the possible power scenarios for the State under “VISION-2025” as power-scientists and planners involved with this site are harping on.

Electric Power Survey

The 17th Electric Power Survey (EPS) Report on India published by CEA in March, 2007 made the forecast for the power demand of Orissa for 11th, 12th & 13th as under Table-1.

As per the Report on Power Supply Situation of CEA for the month of April-Sep,2009 (FY 2009-10), the Orissa System met the peak demand of 3120 MW against the required Peak Demand of 3188 MW and the Energy Availability was of 10599 MU against the actual Energy Requirement of 10728 MU. Orissa will be requiring an installed capacity of about 6780 MW around 2012, 9620 MW around 2017 and 15300 MW around 2022 to cater to the peak demand of 4459 MW, 6330 MW and 10074 MW projected by CEA for 2011-12, 2016-17 & 2021-22 respectively. As against this, the present availability is about 2000 MW. Hence peak shortage is about 1200 MW & off-peak shortage is of about 600 MW. The installed capacity of Orissa from the Central Sector share & State sector is about 4060 MW as on 31.03.2009. Orissa has to add generation capacity of about 2700 MW, 5500 MW and 11,000 MW to cater to the state demand in 2012, 2017 & 2022 respectively considering the installed capacity of 4060 MW as on 31.03.2009 as the base.

As against the requirement of 2700 MW additional installed capacity and about additional energy availability of 7000 MU up to 2012, Orissa may expect additional power from the available sources during 11th plan as under Table-2.

The State has to source an additional 2000 MW in 2011 & 2012 to meet the projected demand made in EPS prepared by CEA, which in July, 2009 has published a Booklet on “Equipment and Key Input Requirement” for the power sector 12th Plan & beyond and has outlined the capacity addition for 12th & 13th Plan for the country as under Table-3

The fund requirement for generation, transmission and distribution during 12th Plan & 13th Plan as the CEA has assed is under Table-4.

CEA has already undertaken the advance action for the projects to be constructed during 12th Plan from now onwards mobilizing the resources and placing the orders for procurement of Equipments for both Main & balance of plants, so that there shall be no slippage in targeted capacity during 12th Plan.Table-5 shows the status of projects under construction of 72,798 MW as on 31.08.2009.

Orissa has to chalk out similar capacity addition programme in generation for addition 5500 MW for 12th Plan in which all the necessary preliminary works including financial closure should have to be achieved by December, 2009 and the project works should start from January, 2010 to be in stream for commercial generating during 12th Plan period. The associated transmission connectivity should have to be also finalized by June, 2010 so that connectivity issue should not crop up at the time of commercial generation of power.

The road map to meet the power shortage, capable of meeting the future power demands of Orissa, may be drawn on short term, medium term and long term basis in the time horizon of less than one year, more than one year but less than three years and three years plus respectively.

Short-term Measures

They include (1) Injection of Surplus Power by CGPs, (2) share from unallocated quota of Central Generating Stati and (3) Harnessing of Solar Power.

Injection of Surplus Power by CGPs

CCPPO during hearing in OERC on 15.10.2009 has assured to inject about 400 MW power provided CGP’s surplus power is paid @ Rs. 4.50/kwh as the Market Price discovered in Power Exchanges averages @ Rs. 10/kwh and has gone upto @ Rs 17/kwh for which CERC has imposed capping on the price for 45 days limiting it to Rs. 8/kwh. OERC has issued orders with a very attractive price for surplus power from CGPs ranging from Rs.3.10/KWH to Rs.4.05/KWH.

Orissa share from unallocated quota of Central Generating Stations

Govt. of Orissa may urge upon GOI, MOP to allot additional 600/700 MW through emergency allotment from 15% unallocated quota of NTPC stations like Farakka STPS, Kahalgaon STPS, Talcher STPS etc. And,

Harnessing of Solar Power

The installed capacity of Soar Power of India is only 6 MW as on 31.10.2009. Eight nos. of IPPs have been permitted by OERC to install Solar Photo-Voltaic (SPV) Plants of 5 MW and 10 MW capacity and the State Commission has given a very attractive tariff of Rs.15/KWH for first twelve years of commercial operation and @ 7.50/KWH for the period from 13th year to 25th year of operation. Govt. of India, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have issued guidelines that these SPV Plants which commence its construction works by December, 2009 and commence commercial operation by March, 2010 are eligible for subsidy @ Rs.12/KWH for first twelve years of their operation. Based on these stipulations, eight nos. of IPPs may add SPV capacity of about 70/80 MW in Orissa grid as Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG) by March, 2010 which would help the state to meet the power shortage to some extent. This requires urgent cohesive action by the State Govt., Deptt. of Energy, Deptt. of Science & Technology, the State Nodal Agency OREDA and the State Trading PSU GRIDCO so that Orissa will be a pioneer state in India to add 80 MW Solar Power by March, 2010.

Medium term measures

They may be Brown-field expansion and Energy conservation.

Brown-field expansion

Putting emphasis on Brown-field expansion, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission has been advising the State Govt. since 2006 with reminders in 2007 & 2008 u/s 86 of the Act to immediately start the expansion projects at IB Thermal (2×660 MW) and Talcher Thermal (2×660 MW) to cater to the power need of the State.

These brown-field expansions only take the constructions/gestation period of about 30 months for commercial generation of power. The Government of Orissa should immediately start these brown-field projects exerting pressure on OPGC and NTPC.

Energy conservation

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) of Ministry of Power, Govt. of India has launched a Unique Energy Conservation Scheme on 25.02.2009 in the National Plane styled as Bachhat Lamp Yojana (BLY) where BEE intends to give 50 lakhs CFL bulbs of capacity 11 watts to 23 watts to each distribution company @ Rs.15/- each to replace all the incandescent 60 W/100 W bulbs as these CFLs will give the same lumens output with the required illumination. It is tentatively estimated that the State of Orissa can reduce its peak demand from 6 PM to 11 PM by about 400 MW if these 4 DISCOMs can implement the BLY in their area entering into a tripartite agreement with BEE and their empanelled CFL Manufacturers/Traders with a token investment of about Rs.20 cores in FY 2010-11 but they will earn annual profit bonanza from FY 2011-12 onwards of about Rs.80-90 crores/month. Govt. of Orissa and OERC should direct and insist on all the four Distribution Companies to adopt BLY of BEE as “MISSION-2010” and DISCOMs should be directed to complete the BLY in their DISCOMs by end of 2010 so that Orissa can reduce its 40% evening peak demand by end of 2010 due to this BLY alone.

Long Term measures

(1) Thermal Projects under MoU

On this leg, the companies having signed MoUs must be made expedite their work.

In the International Conclave on Power Sector on the “12th Five-Year Plan and Beyond” held on 18th and 19th August 2009 at New Delhi, Thermal Projects as under Table – 6 have been firmed up by CEA and MoP for materialization in the 12th plan out of the 21 MOUs for Thermal Projects that have been signed by the Govt. of Orissa.

The State may get 25% to 30% share of about 1125 MW from these four Private Thermal Projects expected commercial generation during the 12th plan period.

(2) Thermal project of OTPCL

Orissa should give top priority to start the construction work of OTPCL’s (JV of OHPC and OMC) 2000 MW Thermal Project near Rengali from April, 2010 for which Ministry of Coal, Govt. of India, has allocated a separate Coal Block so that the 1st stage of Project (1000 MW) can be completed by 2015 and 2nd stage project (1000 MW) by 2018.

3) Orissa Ultra Mega Power Project

Govt. of Orissa should urge upon MOP & PFC to put Orissa Sundargarh UMPP in a fast track mode to auction and finalize the award to private developer to complete this UMPP in the 12th plan period from which Orissa is slated to get about 1300 MW power. And,

(4) Thermal Projects developed by IPPs

The Govt. of Orissa has signed 21 MOUs with 21 nos. of IPPs to develop about 25000 MW of Thermal Power in the State. The Govt. should immediately sort out the land, coal and water linkage problems of these IPPs so that instead of 4500 MW expected in the 12th Plan, Orissa may add about 12000 MW during the 12th Plan period. The balance 13000 MW may have to be planned to come up in 13th and 14th Plan period.

Suggestions for improvement of ailing Orissa Power Sector

1. The Govt. of Orissa should prepare a generation plan for capacity addition under “VISION-2025” by March, 2010 and outline therein the Road Map of capacity addition.

2 The Govt. should immediately appoint a full time three-member Task Force to monitor the power sector developments continuously so that Orissa can be saved from the power famine that is looming large over the State in short-term and to prepare Orissa to undertake capacity addition under “VISION-2025”.

3 The Task Force should be headed by eminent Power Sector professionals from Orissa having expertise in Thermal, Hydro & Techno-Commercial matters relating to the Orissa Power Sector.

4 The Task Force should monitor all upcoming Power Projects and associated connectivity issues for the 11th and 12th Plan and take advance action plan for projects to come up in 13th Plan as indicated below:-

(a) Thermal Projects of private developers, other Govt. PSU and UMPP to be setup through award/auction to be processed by PFC.

(b) Hydel Projects – large, medium, small, Mini and micro Projects.

© Renewable Energy Projects – Solar, Wind, Biomass etc. now coordinated by OREDA as the State Nodal Agency for Centralized and Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG).

(d) Connectivity and power evacuation from all the upcoming projects mentioned under “VISION-2025”.

(e) Energy conservation measures for avoided generation in the line of guidelines of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) to monitor the BLY under “MISSION-2010” Programme and other associated conservation measures formulated by BEE from time to time.