MoP Asks States/UTs to Allow Construction at Power Plants During Lockdown

The MoP has asked all states and UTs to allow the construction activities in Power Plants outside the limits of municipal corporations during the lockdown

The Ministry of Power (MoP) has issued a notification asking all states and Union Territories (UTs) to allow the construction activities in Thermal/ Hydro Power Generation Projects outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities during the lockdown. The request has been made in compliance with the order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs earlier this month with the Consolidated Revised Guidelines regarding select permitted activities allowed with effect from April 20, 2020, during the nation-wide lockdown for COVID-19 outbreak.

As per the guidelines issued by the MHA, construction of all kinds of industrial projects in rural areas, i.e., outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities have been allowed to be carried out with effect from April 20, 2020. “This is also applicable for ongoing construction activities in Thermal/Hydro Power Generation Projects outside the limits of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs),” the MoP stated in its notification.

In view of the above, it has requested to allow the construction activities in Thermal/Hydro Power Generation Projects outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities as per Para 16(i) of the MHA Order. It has also requested to allow the intrastate and interstate movement of construction materials, equipment, spares, and consumables, etc., for these under-construction power projects as per specific provisions of the said order.

“The resumption of project works at sites may be carried out while taking all mandatory precautions and norms of social distancing as well the advisories issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from time to time with regard to COVID-19,” the notice read.

Recently, we had also reported that in India, the central public sector undertaking (CPSU) generation and transmission companies will be involved in the continuous supply and transmission of electricity to distribution companies (Discoms) during the ongoing nationwide lockdown to control the spread of novel coronavirus, despite the huge outstanding dues that the Discoms have amassed. In addition to that, the Ministry of Power (MoP) had also set forth a directive which affirms that power scheduling will take place even when the payment security mechanism (PSM) is slashed by 50 percent against the initial contract. This directive will be in force until June 30, 2020.