AGARTALA / DHAKA, Jan 10 (TIWN): After several doldrums Tripura government has finally decided the tariff to supply power to Bangladesh from next month in exchange of Rs 5.50 against per unit of power.Talking to TIWN correspondent on sunday, power Minister Manik Dey said that a MoU has been signed between the representatives of India and Bangladesh and it is being decided that India will supply power to Bangladesh in exchange of Rs 5.50 against per unit of power to Bangladesh. Minister also added that the power supply will commenced from next month.The Indian delegation led by power minister Manik Dey held a meeting with the Bangladesh team led by their power minister Mr Nasrul Hamid at Dhaka and finalized the rate and signed the MoU against the agreement. On the one hand Tripura government finalizes to supply 100MW power to Bangladesh but a bitter truth is that TSECL is about to crores of money to the power plants in Tripura and no major initiative is taken to clear the bills. It is seen that Tripura is under huge debt of total 100 crores, which is yet to be paid to the power plants based in Tripura.Although Tripura Govt. gave land to Palatana Plant, but due to this debt of over 100 crores, TSECL is dumped with various problems. Now question arises, when Tripura is under such huge debts, then how Manik government will continue to keep its promises to Bangladesh ?

 Reportedly, The Centre in consultation with the Tripura government had decided to sell 100MW power after the Bangladesh government allowed free transhipment of heavy turbines for the 726.6MW Palatana thermal power plant.

Reportedly, The 100 MW power will be dispatched to Bangladesh from Suryamaninagar power sub-station at the outskirts of Agartala and for transmission of 100 MW power, the works on transmission lines is completed on 400 KV double circuit transmission lines. About 143 towers are set up for 47 kilometer long transmission lines up to South Comilla of Bangladesh. About Rs 250 crore is utilized to complete the transmission lines.

For power transmission and supply, 47km of power cable lines are being set up to connect Surjyamani Nagar in southern Agartala with southern part of Comilla town in Bangladesh. In Tripura, there will be 17km of transmission lines while the remaining 29km lines will be within Bangladesh.

In Tripura, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited has laid the transmission lines while in the neighbouring country a local company has carried out the work.

The total expense for construction of transmission lines and towers is of Rs 250 crore, of which Rs 83 crore is for construction in Tripura.

Although the ruling government never lag behind to boast that Tripura will supply excess power to Bangladesh but never takes any initiative to pay the pending bill the power plant based in Tripura.