Shimla, Apr 15 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh on Tuesday threatened to bring a privilege motion against MLAs alleging cost escalation and corruption in the solar project.

He also warned the MLAs against registering cases of criminal conspiracy against them.

Asserting that the allegations made by BJP MLA Bikram Singh are false and baseless, Anirudh Singh said he should produce papers and bring evidence in support of his claims.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, and other BJP MLAs had made similar allegations, demanding a CBI inquiry into the case.

The minister pointed out that the solar plant in Gujarat has not started and the solar plant in Himachal was commissioned in April while the Chief Engineer Vimal Negi joined the HP Power Corporation in June.

“The state government would bring privilege motion against MLAs making baseless allegations. A case for hatching conspiracy would also be registered against them,” Anirudh Singh, who also holds the Panchayati Raj portfolio, said.

On April 10, Bikram Singh lashed out at Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for not recommending a CBI probe into the “mysterious” death of former Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) Chief Engineer Vimal Negi, alleging that significant layers of corruption will be unearthed.

Addressing media persons, he alleged corruption in the Pekhubela power project. The 32-MW Pekhubela solar power project in Himachal’s Una district is developed by HPPCL. The project, completed for Rs 220 crore, was formally inaugurated in June 2024.

Bikram Singh claimed that the Pekhubela project cost Rs 220 crore whereas a similar project in Gujarat was built for Rs 144 crore. The per-megawatt cost for Pekhuwela came to Rs 6.84 crore while the nationally determined cost is Rs 4.90 crore per megawatt, he added and made some other allegations like benefits given to some companies.

Talking to reporters, Anirudh Singh said the cost of installing solar projects was higher in Himachal due to diverse weather conditions and pointed out that the detailed project report (DPR) of the solar project was prepared by a state public undertaking of the Gujarat government and there was no cost escalation as alleged.

He also challenged Bikram Singh to provide evidence regarding the “nexus” between some officers and the “gifting” of vehicles to some officers.

“The issue of Vimal Negi’s death is a sensitive one and we feel very sad about his tragic death but it should not be politicised as it also hurts the sentiments of his family members,” he said, asking the BJP leaders to directly approach Union home minister to order a CBI inquiry into the death of Negi.

Negi went missing on March 10 and his body was found in Bilaspur on March 18. The relatives of the deceased sat on a dharna outside the HPPCL office in Shimla with the body the next day.

Negi’s wife Kiran Negi alleged that her husband was tortured by the superior for six months and seniors also misbehaved with him. Negi was intentionally forced to work late at night even during illness, she alleged.

A case of abetment to suicide and joint criminal liability under BNS was registered against HPPCL Director (Electrical) and Managing Director.

However, the family members of the deceased had on Monday raised questions on the police investigation into the case.

Earlier, presiding over the 78th district level Himachal Day function at the Historic Ridge in Shimla, Anirudh Singh said the government would give a four per cent interest subsidy for setting up Home Stay and hotels in the state and five per cent interest in tribal areas. PTI BPL KSS KSS