Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that Keralam was not facing an acute power crisis as claimed by UDF govt, especially CM V D Satheesan. He alleged dubious motives and criticised the CM’s overenthusiasm in seeking a power purchase pact with GNA Energy, an over-the-counter platform connecting buyers and sellers.He told the media that weather conditions did not warrant a shortage and called the crisis artificial, terming govt’s move to reject KSEB’s stand mysterious. “Why do we need a department, a minister and a board then? When the CM takes complete responsibility, there is something to hide,” he alleged on Friday.He said GNA Energy was not a power-generating firm and asked whose power it will supply. He alleged that KSEB’s former CMD MG Rajamanickam was shifted over his stand on power purchase and that minister Sunny Joseph had favoured buying power from Himachal Pradesh.He alleged that GNA Energy’s rate of Rs 8.6-8.9/unit is Rs 3 over the market price and claimed that it will raise the state’s burden by Rs 635 crore. Power is available at Rs 5/unit. Why is domestic generation being cut? Power was bought from Himachal in Oct at Rs 12.5/unit, he added.Citing Sections 62 and 63 of the Electricity Act, he said power must be bought at commission-approved rates or through competitive tender, neither of which happened. He alleged Section 108 was being invoked to bypass the regulatory commission.GNA Energy is facing a Sebi probe over an alleged leak of internal information from the central power authority, he alleged, dismissing claims that the previous LDF govt bought power from the firm. He claimed that only a service charge was paid during power swapping.Accusing Satheesan of violating his oath by overriding Joseph, he said that all files in this matter be made public. “Govt has the right to spend people’s money, but not loot it,” he said, while warning of a strong agitation.
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