AGARTALA / UDAIPUR, June 15 (TIWN): Uncertainty looms large over the future of northeast’s biggest gas based combine cycle 726 MW capacity Palatana project, as it developed a serious technical sang and stop generation for past three days.The first unit has been suspended generation a few weeks and the second unit of Palatana also got suspended production from Thursday (June 11) – after three days of it’s Managing Director Satyajit Ganguly contradicted the factual media report.Ganguly in his letter when argued that his present generation, strictly performing as per grid code in line with the requisition of NER constituents – the unit one of Palatana was not in production. He was threatened for legal notice unless the media did not make correction at his choice.However, Mr Ganguly might be forgotten, OTPC invested public fund to the tune of Rs 10,000 Crore in Tripura to produce 726 MW power from Palatana. But still OTPC did not issue public statement how many days they produces power at full capacity except speaking on non-sense with technical jugglery? On the day, when Ganguly issued letter – on that also one unit of Palatana was remained suspended in production. But even then he made his concocted statement to make readers fool. To cover up his technical and administrative failure to run such a mega project, Ganguly wanted to know – who assured for load shedding-free Tripura?The state which peak hour demands at the highest is only 280 MW and normally varies up to 250 MW, at that stage if Palatana produces 726 MW and Tripura will get 196 MW shares from it along with its own production of 130 MW – does it not enough to get an assurance the state will be free from load-shedding?

Being a public servant, Ganguly must know this Rs 10,000 crore investments in Palatana was from his ancestors’ property rather each and every tax payers have contributed for the project and he is just a manger to run it. The state government facilitated the project out of the way and it was a dream project for the people of Tripura.

And to deny the failure of half-educated technocrats, if Ganguly threatened democratic institution for constructive criticism we must restrain ourselves and leave it to our esteemed readers to decide how they react against Ganguly. He must feels ashamed that after his joining Palatana could not performed well not even for a single day. A common allegation, OTPC always made that Tripura is a remote state and they have to depend on outside for everything. Questions come; do they not know Tripura locates at corner of the country before conceiving the project? Why do they came here for such a big project? People have every right to know - is it for land of Tripura or inefficiency of the project running team?  

Who has allowed them to run such a sophisticated project with trial and error method, if they have genuine limitations? Ganguly must understand the sentiment of the people of Tripura, the inefficiency of the plant mangers certainly brought a major embarrassment for the state govt because people asked minister even at mid-night when there is a power cut.

But we are not sure how many commoners call Ganguly so far or he received. Tripura is not like other geographical states of India where Ganguly like people belong. It is a state where people got right to put questions – he must remember it. Moreover, being a responsible servant of the common public Ganguly must be polite, tolerant and decent. Ganguly must recalled the day after his joining he became smart to press and made a most controversial statement in January 9 this year, for which Tripura power minister slam his openly for his irresponsible comment in following day.

By his statement he wanted to put Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd into trouble. Ganguly had stated, “Palatana power plant has appeared to be the most efficient with optimum generation up to 95%, which is almost double in any other thermal power project in India. Generation efficiency of the project at highest level, OTPC is supplying power to northeastern states at cheapest rate in the country ranging between Rs 2.35 and Rs 2.50 per unit.”

But actually, it was not the fact. His statement indicated that Tripura government has been selling power to common consumer at high rate. Fact remained, till then per unit cost of Palatana power was not decided. Ganguly intended to get cheap publicity with his smart look. On the next day, when power minister Manik Dey clarified the point before press, his irresponsible makeup was exposed.

At the initial level also they embarrassed the state when President of India Pranab Mukherjee came to dedicate the first unit. On the previous night of commissioning it had stopped generation and it was for the fourth time in two months. OTPC had failed to bring sufficient equipped manpower to handle such a mega project rather procured inexperienced engineers on recommendation of political quarters that results uncertainty.

OTPC’s inefficiency in managerial performance and they never paid due attention to the project despite repeated request from the state govt and as result, the project commissioning got delayed by more than 18 months. At trial Palatana could not ever reach to it’s targeted generation 363 MW and even before finalization of the commissioning by President of India,

When OTPC had blamed ONGC engineers for waste materials coming with natural gas in the gas booster had led to suspension of power generation during a trial run of unit one in 2013, ONGC accused OTPC for mishandling the project instruments and stated that the gas line was supposed to be wash by distil water instead it was charged with mud water and damage the entire system.

Yes, Mr Ganguly your knowledge of Palatana is definitely more than us but have to accept the failure too. You said our report aims at putting OTPC Palatana Project, which is a signature venture of North Eastern Region with largest investment in North-Eastern Region, in poor light despite all efforts taken by your team. Again question comes, who told OTPC to set such mega project here and create more trouble for us.