Punjab forced to bear high cost of coal to benefit Adani, says Bhagwant Mann

Chandigarh: Slamming the Union government for stepmotherly with the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday questioned that if special trains can be allotted for ferrying paddy from the state to other parts then why trains can’t be allotted to transporting coal to the state.

Addressing the general body meeting of the PSEB Engineers Association here today, the Chief Minister said that it is a paradoxical situation that the coal fetched from the coal mines allotted to the state are first transported to ports and then via sea route it is ferried to another end of the country. He said that from this port it is then transported to the state via trains. Bhagwant Mann said that it is irrational as the coal can be supplied directly to the state via train from the source.

The Chief Minister said that the entire faulty mechanism has been devised by the Union government just to extend largesse to its friends. He said that Punjab is being made to bear high expense of coal just to benefit Adanis. Bhagwant Mann said that it is unjustified, intolerable and unwarranted, adding that it enhances the expenditure being borne by the state to transport coal.

The Chief Minister said that it is strange that a government which is duty-bound to work for the well-being of people devise such policies just to benefit their friends. He said that this is against the concept of democracy as instead of the welfare of the people, the government is working to give profit to their friends. Bhagwant Mann said that such moves will be opposed vehemently to secure the interests of people.

The Chief Minister categorically said that the interests of Punjab will be secured in the nomination of the member of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). Bhagwant Mann said that he has already flagged up this issue with the government of India and no stone will be left unturned for that. He said that the state government is duty-bound to ensure that no injustice is meted out with the state.

The Chief Minister said that the days of long cuts have ended in the state as Punjab is heading towards becoming a power surplus. He said that due to the efforts of his government, the power generation in the state has been enhanced by 83 per cent.