Adani Green Energy Limited has sought to cut the stated cost of its power project in Satara district by 99 per cent.
The cost has been revised from Rs 5,675 crore to Rs 56.75 crore.
The company made this request in a sworn statement, called an affidavit.
The project is a 1,500 MW pumped-storage hydropower project. MW is a unit used to measure power generation capacity.
Congress has now attacked the Centre over the revised figure.
Jairam Ramesh, the party's general secretary, called it a scandal of gigantic proportions on Friday.
The party again demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani Group.
Key points
- The cost of the 1,500 MW Satara project was revised from Rs 5,675 crore to Rs 56.75 crore.
- A wildlife conservation payment could fall from Rs 227 crore to about Rs 2.27 crore.
- The Union environment ministry ordered a priority probe on November 6.
- Congress wants a JPC probe. The company's response did not explain the revised cost.
So why does the revised cost matter for wildlife?
The project is linked to a payment for wildlife conservation.
The State Board for Wildlife wants 4 per cent of the project cost for this purpose.
With the lower cost, that payment falls from Rs 227 crore to about Rs 2.27 crore.
Rs crore
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
So far, the company has deposited Rs 56.75 lakh, which is 1 per cent of the revised cost, into the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve account.
The forest department accepted the lower estimate.
The project covers 150.74 hectares of non-forest land near the Tarali dam reservoir, in a buffer area of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.
What happens next after the complaint?
A complaint was filed on October 30 by Rohan Bhate, Honorary Wildlife Warden of Satara district.
It was sent to the Prime Minister's grievance portal and to the Maharashtra Chief Minister.
On November 6, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change asked the state forest department to investigate on priority.
The state forest department has also started its own probe.
The remaining conservation payment will be paid only after approval from the National Board for Wildlife.
The company defended the project's environmental record, but did not explain the revised cost.
Why should ordinary readers keep an eye on this?
For ordinary readers, the core question is simple.
Is the money meant to protect forests and tigers being calculated correctly?
The Congress demand for a JPC probe is the party's own position. The forest department's investigation is still under way.
