The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a summon to the Himachal Pradesh government on a plea by the State of Punjab seeking to retain the operational control and ownership of the Shanan Hydropower Project.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan sought the response of to the State of Himachal Pradesh government whether as a measure of interim relief, they can hand over the operation of the Hydropower Project to the Punjab Government.
Advocate General Gurminder Singh and Additional Advocate General Shadan Farasat appearing for the State of Punjab informed the court that the Union government has called for the status quo to be maintained among the two States in the case.
The top court recorded the same in its order.
The State of Punjab moved a petition in the Supreme Court, alleging that the State of Himachal Pradesh is attempting to take over the project.
The project is located in Himachal Pradesh’s Joginder Nagar but has been under the control of Punjab State Electricity Board according to a lease agreement.
The Hydropower Plant is a British-era project set up in 1925. Since the 99-year-old lease in favor of the Punjab government is expiring by the end of March, the Himachal government has recently sent a letter to the Punjab government asking that the property be handed over to them.
In an original suit before the top court, the Punjab government sought a permanent prohibitory injunction to restrain the Himachal Pradesh government from disturbing the lawful peaceful possession and smooth functioning of the power project.
As per the plea, Punjab has been running the project since 1932, and therefore, the Himachal Pradesh government’s claims over it are “a political misadventure.”
The suit was filed through advocate Siddhant Sharma and advocates RPS Bara and Karmanbir Singh Kharbanda.
As per the suit, the issue has already been settled in various civil and other judicial forums since the inception of the project. The Central government had in 1967 also reiterated that the project belongs to the Punjab Government.
