A day after Punjab chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh targeted the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed during the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government, former deputy chief minister and senior SAD leader Sukhbir Badal hit back, raising questions over the intent behind the CM’s statement.
Even former cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been on a collision course with Capt. Amarinder, had raised the issue alleging that the “needless PPAs” were draining the state coffers. Sidhu had even demanded a new legislation in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to fix power tariffs as per the National Power Exchange at no fixed cost. “This would get rid of the old power purchase agreement made by the Badal,” he had tweeted.
On Sunday, Sukhbir took to Twitter and questioned the CM over the real “intent” behind his statements on PPAs signed during the SAD tenure. “Reg your new rant on SAD govt’s power agreements, 4.5 yrs is a long time to scrap any agreement. Who stopped/stops you? Do anything but save Punjabis frm long unbearable power cuts & bills. But it seems U want to be remembered for “BIJLEE MEHANGI, BIJLEE GULL (sic),’’ tweeted Sukhbir.
.@capt_amarinder Re your new rant on SAD govt's power agreements, 4.5 yrs is a long time to scrap any agreement. Who stopped/stops ypu? Do anything but save Punjabis frm long unbearable power cuts & bills. But it seems U want to be remembered for "BIJLEE MEHANGI, BIJLEE GULL" 1/2— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) July 4, 2021
In another tweet, he said, “Those who plunged Punjab into darkness are blaming power cuts on those who made the state power-surplus. As PS Badal took over in 2007, Punjab was used to 16 hrs daily cuts. He took 3 yrs to make it power surplus-exactly the time u have taken to push it back into darkness (sic)”.
The Twitter barbs come at a time when Punjab is reeling under severe power crisis, with protests taking places across the state over frequent power cuts.
The state-owned Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) admitted it was facing a problem in meeting the demand of more than 14,500 Plus MW as temperatures continue to soar in the state.
The company had appealed to government officials at different departments, boards and corporations to use electricity judiciously at work by switching off the lights, devices and appliances when not in use and turning off high-power consuming appliances such as air conditioners for up to three days.
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