Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday emphasised that Himachal Pradesh would move forward with the hydel project only after Haryana government gives its consent to pay its pending share of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) arrears and files an affidavit in the Supreme Court.

After securing a major victory for Himachal Pradesh in the Kishau dam project, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu held a detailed discussion with Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar regarding the recovery of Himachal’s pending financial dues and statutory rights from BBMB. He sought the Centre’s support to get Himachal its pending dues from BBMB.

“It would not be appropriate to expect Himachal Pradesh to cooperate on new projects while its own rightful claims continue to be ignored. Despite repeated requests, Punjab and Haryana have failed to ensure that Himachal Pradesh receives its lawful share,” he lamented.

Sukhu said that nearly 15 years ago, the Supreme Court had clearly recognised Himachal Pradesh’s entitlement to 7.19 per cent share in BBMB projects and the benefits arising from them. Despite this, the state had been deprived of its share of 13,066 million units of electricity and the associated financial benefits for more than a decade.

Sukhu said following the Supreme Court’s decision, the state government was taking all necessary legal and administrative steps to recover approximately Rs 4,200 crore pending dues from the BBMB.

Sukhu recalled that in 2023, he rejected the earlier agreement on the 422 MW Kishau multipurpose project, under which Himachal Pradesh would have had to bear a significant share of the power generation cost. Owing to the state government’s firm stand, Himachal Pradesh would now receive around Rs 600 crore as annual revenue without making any financial investment, marking a significant victory in protecting the state’s interests.

Khattar assured that he would discuss the matter with the Chief Ministers of Haryana and Punjab and take the necessary steps to safeguard Himachal Pradesh’s statutory rights and help resolve the issue.