AGARTALA, Sep 9 (TIWN): Power Minister Manik Dey led Tripura Power Dept mismanagement, ONGC’s erratic gas supply caused massive haltdown of 101 MW gas based NEEPCO Monarhcak Plant. 2016 Puja season highly likely to experience load-shedding as NEEPCO Plant is shut down due to lack of gas supply by ONGC. 2015 Puja season was different when NEEPCO power supply, OTPC Palatana feeds kept Tripura running 24 hrs. Rural Tripura may suffer from frequent load-sheddings due to NEEPCO shutdown. Due to lack of gas supply from ONGC, 101MW plant is sleeping for more than 3 months, as ONGC told NEEPCO that they will not be able supply gas to Monarchak before December. However, TSECL MD Shyamal K Roy said that before October ONGC can not provide gas. But NEEPCO GM Samir Ranjan Biswas while talking to TIWN said, “ONGC last time mentioned only December-2016 will be the suitable time for ONGC to supply Gas to Monarchak. “No way NEEPCO can start the plant now and during Durga Puja no chance of any action at Monarchak plant, as December supply was finalized by ONGC”, GM added.

Tripura’s 101 MW power based power plan is now waiting for some miracle as Tripura Govt. has no concerns about that project even-though over 189 crores pending bills due from TSECL to NEEPCO, which is haunting Tripura Power Dept. In August month NEEPCO GM S R Biswas said, ONGC’s failure in supplying gas to 101MW also causing loss of Rs4.4 lakhs every day.  However, surprising matter is that Tripura’s Monarchak power plant might supply power to Bangladesh at the end of December.

 May be the fortune of NEEPCO is nothing but a result of Tripura govt.’s huge debt to NEEPCO and ONGC / TSECL’s mutual understanding to bring a balance to the pending bills. 

The ONGC was supposed to supply 0.50 MMSCUMD gas to NEEPCO so that 101 MW power can be generated. However, uncertainty looms large over the gas supplying from December  also.

According to the agreement, the ONGC was about to supply gas on March 3 in 2013. But finally, the ONGC started supplying gas on February 3 in 2015 and later in September, they expressed their inability to continue the service and assured to supply by March 2016.  

But it seems that a 6 months historical death to NEEPCO has been orchestrated by ONGC and Tripura Govt. which finally paralyzed the plant.  

Every central govt, public sector exterprises are unable to function properly under Manik Sarkar's corrupt administration.