The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the auction of the Himachal Bhawan near Mandi House in Delhi due to non-payment of Rs 64 crore. This decision has sparked a political uproar in Himachal Pradesh.
The BJP has started criticizing the Congress government, led by Sukhbir Singh Sukhum, over this issue. The controversy traces back to 2009 when the Himachal government allocated a 320-megawatt electricity project to the Sally Hydro Company in Lahol Spiti. The government also assigned road construction work to the BRO for the project. According to the agreement, the government was responsible for providing basic facilities to the company to enable timely project work, but it failed to do so. In 2017, the company filed a writ petition in the High Court, citing delays due to the lack of facilities.
The company’s lawyer argued that the company had to halt the project because of the government’s failure to provide the necessary infrastructure. It was then that the government seized the upfront premium. After hearing both sides, the court directed the government to pay Rs 64 crore in upfront premium, along with 7% interest from the date the petition was filed. The court also ordered the Chief Secretary of the Energy Department to investigate within 15 days and identify the officials responsible for failing to collect the money.