By IANS,
Pune : An “anti-Maharashtra lobby” is creating problems for the Hindustan Electricity Generation Company’s power project near Pune, Niranjan Hiranandani, chairman and managing director of the Hiranadani Group, alleged Monday.
Emerging from a local court in Vadgaon with his wife Kamal after both secured bail in a private complaint, Hiranandani said that neither the local population nor people of Maharashtra are opposed to his proposed private gas-based power generation project at Navlakh Umbre near Pune.
“It is opposed by a vested interest lobby that is funding crores of rupees on legal matters to delay the project and not make it happen,” Hiranandani fumed before mediapersons outside the court.
Without identifying the “lobby,” the leading builder said that it does not want the state to flourish where power is scarce and HEGC is attempting to fill a part of the void.
“We want to invest huge amounts and make all-out efforts to make it a fast-track project so the power situation in the state can be eased, but the anti-state lobby wants it to go to another state,” he claimed.
Justifying his claims, Hiranandani pointed out that the project opponents have hired dozens of lawyers who are paid over Rs.150,000 per hearing per day and accommodated in five-star hotels.
“Total funding for this activity is coming from New Delhi and one centre in south India. We are investigating to find out who is the kingpin behind it. I shall also meet Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and request him to probe the anti-Maharashtra lobby,” he said.
Hiranandani vowed that his company would battle against all odds and implement the green project with massive investments in the interests of the people of the state.
The group’s HEGC is planning to set up a 2,500MW gas-based power plant at an investment of around Rs.12,000-crore on 200 acres of land in Navlakh Umbre.